BY SARAH STEPHENS
ELMORE/AUTAUGA NEWS
Top Photo: District Attorney C.J. Robinson discusses the judge’s ruling after the pre-trial hearing for Michael Jerome Butler at the Autauga County Courthouse earlier today.
PRATTVILLE – Today District Court Judge Joy Booth has ordered Michael Jerome Butler to be held in Autauga County Metro Jail under no bond, thanks to the new Aniah’s Law, relating to eight felony charges against him.
Butler faces multiple charges in Autauga County, as well as accusations of other crimes in St. Clair County including murder, and other violent charges in Georgia.
However, Monday District Attorney C.J. Robinson focused only on the Autauga County charges, arguing that Butler is a serious threat and danger to society, and he would like him to remain in Autauga County custody until his court date on local charges.
Those local charges stem from Nov. 3 of this year, when Prattville Police Investigators were called to Prattville Baptist Hospital in relation to allegations that two young girls were kidnapped from the Prattville Walgreens at gunpoint by Butler, robbed and raped.
Prattville investigator Scott Baxley testified he met with the girls and helped set up an emergency meeting with Butterfly Bridge for a forensic interview with experts in the field.
The girls were able to give locations where they were taken after the alleged kidnapping, and through those locations investigators obtained video. Using clips from that video, they shared them with other law enforcement agencies, and Butler was identified as the suspect.
Officials believe that his violent crimes did not end in Autauga County, but included into Georgia. Allegations of those crimes include a home invasion and a person being shot multiple times.
Baxley said that they were able to determine what vehicle Butler was traveling in, and multiple agencies using the tag number were able to track his movements.
Meanwhile, he is a suspect in a murder in St. Clair County of a woman that occurred after his initial alleged crimes in Autauga County.
He was initially caught after a vehicle pursuit near Leeds, and booked into the Autauga County Jail. However, he had been transferred to another Alabama facility on other alleged crimes. A team from Prattville went to that facility today to pick up Butler for his court appearance in Autauga County.
It took an amazing amount of investigative ability by the Prattville Police Department, working with multiple in-state and out of state law enforcement agencies to work as team to bring Butler into custody.
In the courtroom, Butler remained mostly quiet, and his face and mouth were covered with material. Officials explained that because of behavioral issues, special measures were taken to keep him from spitting on anyone. There was a large number of Prattville officers and Autauga County law enforcement present in the courtroom. He was appointed Richard Lively as his attorney prior to the court proceeding. Butler and Lively met briefly prior to the hearing.
During the hearing, Lively objected to the request for no bond, claiming it violated Butler’s constitutional rights. The objections were overruled by Judge Booth.
If Judge Booth’s order stands, he will remain in Autauga County until his court date and/or trial, and then could face multiple other court days related to unrelated allegations up to and including the murder in St. Clair.
DA Robinson said that Butler’s prior felony arrests, and his history of failing to appear and the alleged violent acts in local charges, are just some of the reasons Aniah’s law comes into play in this case. Robinson said Butler is a violent, dangerous man who needs to remain in jail. His previous arrest record is “lengthy” according to Robinson.
The case will now move to a grand jury perhaps in the Spring, Robinson said.
Robinson praised the bravery and vigilance of the two young girls, and their ability to work together to survive. Testimony showed that Butler threatened their lives many times, telling them he would shoot them. “It is a miracle they survived,” Robinson said. “I am not sure everyone in that position would have.”
What is Aniah’s Law?
Aniah’s Law is named after a 19-year-old Alabama woman, Aniah Blanchard, who was kidnapped and killed in 2019. At the time of Blanchard’s death, the suspect was out on bond and had been convicted of several other violent crimes, including kidnapping, robbery and attempted murder.
Prior to the passage of Aniah’s law, bond was required to be offered for anything other than capital murder. With the new law, violent offenders can also be held without bond. The law has now been used several times in Alabama, including Dale and Elmore Counties.
The amendment which was successfully voted for by Alabama voters allows prosecutors to request a pre-trial hearing, and request to hold the suspect without bond in certain circumstances.
The law is limited to those accused of violent offenses such as murder, kidnapping or rape in the first degree.
