A Florida woman who shot her neighbor dead one week ago was granted bond Friday morning.Susan Lorincz, 58, is charged with manslaughter in the death of AJ Owens, 35, a mother of four children. Lorincz is white. Owens is Black. The judge granted bond for Lorincz because she is legally entitled to it. The charges she faces are not life felonies. She is charged with manslaughter, not murder.Prosecutors said they would not file a motion for pre-trial detention, citing they do not have a legal basis to do so. Instead, they asked the judge to set her bond high.”She does not have a job. She does not have any real property. She doesn’t have a spouse or children,” said prosecutor Rich Buxman. “Based on all of that information, the state’s requesting a $200,000 bond.”Lorincz’s public defender Amanda Sizemore instead asked the judge to set her bond at just over $16,000. Lorincz said in court that she could afford to post $1,700 toward her bond.”She has no criminal record,” Sizemore told the judge. “I think if the court were to set a bond to the amount the state is requesting, it would essentially be tantamount to no bond for her.”Ultimately, the judge set Lorincz’s bond at $154,000.Owens’ family wanted a bond that “fits” the crime.“We’re pleased, but we’re not satisfied,” said family attorney Anthony Thomas. “Certainly, we would have loved a bond set at something commensurate with the act. Usually on a first-degree charge, usually on no bond, especially when the act is made with a gun.”Thomas said the family hopes the state attorney upgrades Lorincz’s manslaughter charge to murder. He added that the state attorney has 21 days to make that decision. “We don’t believe that Susan had any sort of respect at all for human life,” he said. “She meant to pull that trigger. She meant to point it at the door. And that’s why we feel that murder two charges are applicable here.”In the meantime, Owens’ family and friends say their main focus is her kids. They are 3, 7, 9 and 12 years old.”Four children who lost their mother, who are in need of grief counseling and therapy. The baby doesn’t even understand what is happening,” said family spokesperson Takema Robinson. Owens’ loved ones were present in the courtroom in strong numbers.The judge ordered that if Lorincz does get out of jail, she cannot contact the victims, have any weapons or leave the state of Florida. She will also have to wear an ankle monitor.Her arraignment is set for July 11.
A Florida woman who shot her neighbor dead one week ago was granted bond Friday morning.
Susan Lorincz, 58, is charged with manslaughter in the death of AJ Owens, 35, a mother of four children. Lorincz is white. Owens is Black.
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The judge granted bond for Lorincz because she is legally entitled to it. The charges she faces are not life felonies. She is charged with manslaughter, not murder.
Prosecutors said they would not file a motion for pre-trial detention, citing they do not have a legal basis to do so. Instead, they asked the judge to set her bond high.
“She does not have a job. She does not have any real property. She doesn’t have a spouse or children,” said prosecutor Rich Buxman. “Based on all of that information, the state’s requesting a $200,000 bond.”
Lorincz’s public defender Amanda Sizemore instead asked the judge to set her bond at just over $16,000. Lorincz said in court that she could afford to post $1,700 toward her bond.
“She has no criminal record,” Sizemore told the judge. “I think if the court were to set a bond to the amount the state is requesting, it would essentially be tantamount to no bond for her.”
Ultimately, the judge set Lorincz’s bond at $154,000.
Owens’ family wanted a bond that “fits” the crime.
“We’re pleased, but we’re not satisfied,” said family attorney Anthony Thomas. “Certainly, we would have loved a bond set at something commensurate with the act. Usually on a first-degree charge, usually on no bond, especially when the act is made with a gun.”
Thomas said the family hopes the state attorney upgrades Lorincz’s manslaughter charge to murder. He added that the state attorney has 21 days to make that decision.
“We don’t believe that Susan had any sort of respect at all for human life,” he said. “She meant to pull that trigger. She meant to point it at the door. And that’s why we feel that murder two charges are applicable here.”
In the meantime, Owens’ family and friends say their main focus is her kids. They are 3, 7, 9 and 12 years old.
“Four children who lost their mother, who are in need of grief counseling and therapy. The baby doesn’t even understand what is happening,” said family spokesperson Takema Robinson.
Owens’ loved ones were present in the courtroom in strong numbers.
The judge ordered that if Lorincz does get out of jail, she cannot contact the victims, have any weapons or leave the state of Florida. She will also have to wear an ankle monitor.
Her arraignment is set for July 11.
