The former anti-violence bond remains at $5 million

A second bond hearing was held in an Adams County courtroom Tuesday for 46-year-old Lumumba Sayers Sr., after a heated first hearing that brought tears to the eyes of family members on both sides of the aisle.

Sayers Sr.’s first bond hearing on Aug. 15 ultimately resulted in a cash-only bond of $5 million, an increase from the $1 million bond originally set by 17th Judicial District Court Judge Jeffrey Ruff.

Despite Tuesday’s arguments from defense attorneys that the bail was too high and Sayers Sr. could allegedly be protected and supported by the broader community on bail, Ruff opted to keep the amount the same.

The former anti-violence advocate and youth advocate of Aurora faces first-degree murder and two counts of menacing by the 17th Judicial District Attorney’s Office in the shooting death of 28-year-old Malcolm Watson during his son’s Aug. 8 fifth birthday party. 10 in the Trade City.

Multiple witnesses told investigators that Sayers Sr., who was not invited to the party, walked up and allegedly shot Watson in the head at point-blank range. An arrest affidavit says he allegedly pointed a gun at a passerby, took keys from Watson’s body and tried to plant it under him.

Both police and prosecutors believe the shooting was an act of revenge, which came nearly a year after Sayers Sr.’s 23-year-old son, Lumumba Sayers Jr., was murdered. shot and killed on August 19, 2023, at 28th and Welton streets in Denver. Sayers Jr. was killed in the quadruple shooting. and 25-year-old Gulian Musiwa.

Suspect Tyrell Braxton, 24, was arrested a month after the shooting on charges of first-degree murder and first-degree assault, and police believe Braxton and Watson were friends.

“I took into account what I heard from (the defense). I took into account what I heard from people and determined that $5 million cash bail was appropriate,” Ruff said, noting that both community safety and flight risk were major factors in the initial decision to increase the bond.

The first bond hearing caused confusion in the Brighton courtroom as many of Watson’s family members took to the podium to speak about Sayers Sr.’s potential bond.

No member of Sayers Sr.’s family spoke during the hearing.

Sayers Sr.’s defense attorney, Megan Downing, described Tuesday’s August hearing as an “unusual procedure,” which ultimately led her to request a second trial.

The initial hearing led to shouting from the crowded courtroom, with family and friends of both the suspect and the victim shouting at each other across the hall.

“I think we’ve all been dealing with a very unstable environment. There were about eight sheriff’s deputies here trying to keep order,” Downing said.

Ruff called the hearing “unbelievable, untenable.”

However, despite the second hearing and Ruff blocking any family members from speaking, the bond remained the same.

Downing argued that the defense had not yet received a wide range of key evidence, including footage from an interview in which Sayers Sr. allegedly admitted to shooting Watson.

She also argued that Sayers Sr. has tremendous support from the community he has helped build through his Heavy Hands, Heavy Hearts Center founded in 2015. The foundation’s goal was to get children off the streets through movie nights, Thanksgiving dinners and fitness classes, mountain camping trips, and girl empowerment gatherings. The aim of the collections was to prevent violence among young people.

With this support and strict restrictions such as house arrest, Sayers Sr. should be released pending trial, Downing said.

Ruff disagreed, noting that his “support” cheered as he entered the courtroom during his first hearing, indicating a potentially tumultuous situation if he were to be released.

“The type of support that you all suggest he has is not the type of support the court would want for him in society,” Ruff said. “I really find it hard to believe that he could be in a community without a lot of skin in the game to keep the victims and this community safe.”

Tajuana McKinley, Watson’s mother, apparently agreed with this during the first hearing, saying: “If you release this man, it will be your fault if there are weapons and bloodshed in this community… This is definitely not the end, by any means. It will be it lasted, your honor.

“It is our responsibility to keep the community safe, and I do not believe the community will be safe if this defendant is released,” said Senior Assistant District Attorney Laura Anderson.

Ruff also noted the broader Colorado community’s desire to keep suspects charged with first-degree murder off the streets by passing Amendment I on Nov. 5, allowing judges to deny bail to people charged with first-degree murder.

While the adoption of a constitutional amendment doesn’t necessarily impact a specific case, Ruff said it’s the general will of a majority of Colorado voters and a trend that should be taken into account.

“Voters also participated in this,” he said. “They tell us they don’t want these cases to be out on bail, right? That was communicated loud and clear.”

Sayers Sr. is next scheduled to appear in court for a preliminary hearing scheduled for Jan. 3, when prosecutors present the evidence to a judge who will determine whether it is enough to put him on trial.