Circuit Judge Nigel Graham on Wednesday granted a prosecution request to increase bond to $2 million for Demond Wilson, Jr., 25, of Calumet Park.
Wilson’s bond was initially set at $750,000 when he was arrested in late March and charged with aggravated discharge of a firearm.
But this week, prosecutors added three counts of first degree murder and three counts of aggravated battery with a firearm.
Wilson is accused in the early morning shooting at 533 N. Johnson St. on March 25 that killed Jerman Beathea, 26, of Chicago and wounded ten others. Some of wounded were seriously injured and had to be triaged at McDonough District Hospital before being transferred to larger hospitals in central Illinois. Other victims suffered superficial gunshot wounds.
McDonough County First Assistant State’s Attorney Susan Maxwell asked for the increase in bond. She said 13 shots were fired inside a heavily occupied house from a gun registered to Wilson, and that Wilson admitted to having the weapon at the house at the time of the shooting.
Maxwell said projectiles from the gun were recovered from four victims of the shooting.
Wilson’s attorney, Scott McClintock, argued to keep bond at $750,000. He said the state must have assumed that further charges would be filed when Wilson was arrested. He said if $750,000 was appropriate then, it should still be appropriate.
He also said Wilson has ties to Illinois, no criminal history, and no gang affiliation.
McClintock called $2 million an oppressive amount.
Judge Graham acknowledged Wilson’s history, but said he had to balance that against the serious nature of the crime as he granted the motion to increase bond to $2 million.
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