RICHMOND,VA BONDSMAN SHOT THIS MORNING 3-6-08

Saturday, while in Richmond on an unrelated case, I rode by the Woolfolks Family restaurant just out of curiosity… actually I thought I might go in and offer my condolences to the family although I really figured, correctly I might add, that they would be closed. They were. I am familiar with the neighborhood and it seems to be family oriented and quiet but being a white guy with a magnetic sign on the side of my car reading “Bail Bonds” and some phone numbers… you might say I got some looks. I stopped in one of the local convenience stores to grab a cold drink and immediately became involved in a lengthy conversation about the bail bonds business and particularly the tragedy of James Woolfolk. Everybody was asking questions and I tried to respond in a positive manner in every case. I got the impression that Woolfolk was well liked by everyone although everyone seemed to “understand” why the guy shot Woolfolk… they said, “after all, he was there to take him back to jail and he just didn’t want to go…” I got the impression from some of the people talking that this in some way may have… well, not exactly justified, but explained the shooters thinking… I didn’t say much to that… but I was sort of outnumbered… so what I was actually hearing was another side of this tragedy… when a few of the younger guys (guys that may very well have been in the same boat at one time or another) actually gave me the impression that the bondsman “provoked” the incident by going in there in the middle of the nite, as if the time somehow had something to do with it… I didn’t respond to this either… in fact… I was getting the impression that they were sort of irritated that I was in their neighborhood with the sign on the car and the name on my jacket and my adrenaline started pumping a bit and frankly I got in my car and slowly made my way back to I-64. It was a strange course of events and really caught me somewhat by surprise… I drove by there to offer condolences and in the course of the conversation at the store, with me saying very little, mostly listening… the general direction of the talk started turning in a totally different direction… just goes to show ya that everyone has an opinion.

The neighborhood had a memorial service type get together in front of the restaurant tonight around 6:30pm… there was a fairly large crowd and a spokesperson had some kind words about James and how crime needed to be addressed… all the usual words when something like this happens… I did not go to this… tv was as close as I figured I needed to be…

There have always been “cowboys” in the FR business and it is a shame when the good guys, the guys that strive to do the job right, never get any press and the “cowboys” is what you read about… “shooting the wrong person, kicking down the wrong door, pulling out a gold tooth for payment…” you never hear about the pickup that went right, the fugitive was cuffed, placed in the vehicle and returned without incident to the jail. Well, it’s just not exciting and selling papers and filling airtime with stuff people watch is what it’s all about.

There are a few guys and gals in this business that really try to do it right and it’s too bad when one of us goes down hard in a senseless act of desperation. I am however, happy that the media has seemed to cover the story in as positive a manner as possible under the tragic circumstances. It is different from how we usually hear about the events in our business.

I wear a jacket that has my name and company on the front and the words “Bail Bonds” across the back. I wear this usually when I am either on a bond call or going to court because I have found that sitting on the second row in court with your back to the ‘gallery’ everyone notices the “Bail Bonds” in front and it does provide me with a bit of business here and there. Of course the bailiff may ask you to leave because that might be called “solicitation” in some jurisdictions, but mostly it is ignored… cause I’m such a nice guy??! But without fail, when I go into a place of business with this jacket on, I get questioned and invariably the question comes out… “are you like “DOG” on TV…” and I just smile and say… “well, actually, he’s a little better looking than I am…” that usually stops the conversation with a chuckle and I leave.

_________________
Bill Marx, Sr.
"FREE STATE BAIL BONDS"
"FREE STATE INVESTIGATIONS"
DCJS: 99-176979
Cell: 434-294-0222

"Endeavor to Persevere" "Lone Watie"

"Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that , comes from bad judgment" "Will Rogers"

I understand that there are idiots out there that give us a bad name, as there are in any profession. I carry non-lethal weapons as well as lethal ones. I'm not going to kill someone if there is an alternative, but I want to protect myself if I have to. I am not antagonistic, but I will do whatever I have to do to go home to my loved ones.

This being said, I don't go out alone. If I am going after a person, it is because they have missed court on my bond or someone else's. I don't care if they are guilty or innocent of the crime they are charged with, they missed court and that is why I am after them. ALL I care about is that they missed court. That is where people start getting confused and aggressive. They relate us to the court, attorneys, etc, and that is NOT our job or affiliation. We may have opinions, but our work is all about the money. If a person pays the bond and the collection fee, my job is done. I may prefer to see them "pay for their crime" but our work is civil, and it IS all about the money.

I wear my vest. I carry a Taser, AND a handgun that is loaded with very lethal rounds. I prefer using the Taser, but if somebody shoots lethal rounds at me, I will return with the same. I try to keep every job from being personal, but when it comes to me or them, I will do what I have to to go home safe. I never really thought about that until I got into this business, but in reality, it should be the same for everyone. We tend to provoke more danger because of our professions, but every citizen should have the right to protect themself, their property, and their life.

I am truly sorry if some defendant is found guilty, innocent or not, but that isn't mine or any other bondsman's concern. That is between them and their attorney and the court. All that we are responsible for is that they go to court. If they don't, the bondsman will use whatever resources available to avoid paying the bond. That is his/her job, and that is why they hire others to locate and apprehend the suspect. It isn't personal, it is a money issue, plain and simple. The person goes to court and the bond is exonerated, or the bondsman takes the collateral to pay the bond.

When the defendant or cosigner creates a problem it may get more complicated, but that is the gist of it.

I'm off to bed. I hope I have helped clear some issues. Night, all...

_________________
Kathy Blackshear
Blackshear Investigations
Blackshear Bail Bonds
Sales Associate, Prepaid Legal Services, Inc.
Walsenburg, CO

Proud Member of the AB Reject Club

The news story quote I was referring to: ""Bondsmen "have a very good rapport with the people they bond out," said Sheriff C.T. Woody, a former homicide detective who knew Woolfolk and his family."" He should have added... "but not when they go to lock them back up"... two sided coin...

The issue I was addressing was simply that "WE know what OUR job is and who or what we are affiliated with, but that's not the problem... the problem is what the fugitive thinks, therein lies the issue." being that some praise our work and look upon us as the good guys and some look upon us as the bad guys... and the opinions of those guys in that convenient store that became aggressive toward me shows that not all people look upon bondsmen as their "buddies" as was reported by the sheriff in the news story... many, as you have pointed out... consider us just as much the "enemy" as the LE's they run from. Just part of the job... We all know (or we should anyway) what we need to do in this job... I say again... "we are not teaching Sunday school here..."

I don't ever recall putting the cuffs on a fugitive and having him say... "Boy, am I glad to see you guys..."

_________________
Bill Marx, Sr.
"FREE STATE BAIL BONDS"
"FREE STATE INVESTIGATIONS"
DCJS: 99-176979
Cell: 434-294-0222

"Endeavor to Persevere" "Lone Watie"

"Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that , comes from bad judgment" "Will Rogers"

On one occasion, here recently, I actually took a guy at a Dr's office. After I had him in custody, my client-the bondsman came walking up. The fugitive looked at him and with a smile and chuckle he proclaimed, "oh it's you____________". He went on to explain that he thought I was a Fed, due to my attire and my command performance...straight LEO tactics and procedures.

I told him I had never had a fugitive be glad to see thier bondsman....

_________________
River City Associates
Decatur, Al. 35601

I did have one that claimed she was glad to see me. She lived way, way, way down south (almost Florida) and had nothing to her name. She had called the bondsman to tell them she had to get a bus ticket to get to court but then never showed (She said she couldn't afford the ticket). She was 24 years, 6'5", 305 (no, thats not a typo), no car, no job. She simply had no way of getting to court all the way up in Atlanta. When I told her who I was she said "Wow, now that is special. My family won't give me a ride to court which put more charges on me...but you came all the way down here to. I guess that shows who really cares in this world." Then she started crying and walk out and got in the truck, while we were getting her children settled. Of course, I thought she was trying to run when she walked away but she went straight to the truck and waited until I opened the door...We had no problems out of her. She thanked us again, at the jail, saying "If I had people like you in my life...things probably would have turned out different. Thanks guys. I appreciate the ride."

_________________
********************
Thomas SnoWolf
FRN# 1999
GAPB 20120726
NSIS ST0707
http://www.rocksolidrg.com
"The hero is not the man that acts without fear,
He is the man that acts inspite of fear"

Here is an update on this case that has been ongoing in the Richmond Va... news..........

copied and pasted from the Richmond Times Dispatch.... I will post the sentence when it come in....

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
By MICHAEL MARTZ AND LINDA DUNHAM
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITERS

A Richmond jury convicted a man in the March 6 shooting death of bail bondsman James W. Woolfolk III but was unable to agree on his sentence last night.

The jury meets again this morning to continue sentencing deliberations.

James E. Carr was convicted of first-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. The jury deliberated about two hours before reaching a verdict.

"I am not going to say the verdict brings closure," said Woolfolk's former girlfriend, Denise Johnson, "but it brings relief -- a little. I never got to say goodbye."

The main question before the jury was why Carr shot the unarmed bondsman three times in the back of the head and neck shortly after 2 a.m. that day in the 2000 block of Joplin Avenue in South Richmond.

Prosecutors said Carr, 20, didn't want to go back to jail after skipping bond by failing to appear in court on a drug charge.

"It was a cold-blooded execution," said Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Ann Cabell Baskervill.

But defense attorney Dean M. Marcus had a different reason for his client to shoot Woolfolk: He was afraid for his life at the hands of a man who was angry that Carr had spurned his unwanted advances after the 39-year-old bondsman posted bond for him to get out of jail.

"Mr. Woolfolk was not all about business," Marcus said in a courtroom half-full of the slain bondsman's family.

The defense attorney said Carr should not be convicted of first-degree murder because he was acting in self-defense.

Carr had failed to appear in Richmond General District Court on Feb. 20 on a felony drug charge and three misdemeanors, so Woolfolk, who had bonded him out of jail, was preparing to pick him up.

The bondsman, whose family operates a popular seafood restaurant in the East End, had come by the house on Joplin Avenue the previous afternoon, according to Yvonna Powell, who was engaged to Carr's stepfather, Michael Morris. Carr, whose mother had died and whose father was absent, lived at the house in the Oak Grove area.

Carr wasn't home, but Woolfolk said he would be back and not to warn the young man he was coming. Early the next morning, Woolfolk told a group of companions that he was going to pick Carr up. They went to Carr's office and residence on Church Hill to retrieve necessary paperwork, and then he drove with three others to Joplin Avenue shortly after 2 a.m.

Morris said he was awakened not by Woolfolk, but by Carr, who told him someone was at the front door and asked his stepfather not to let him in. Instead, Morris opened the door and told Woolfolk to look for Carr in the back bedroom. Carr wasn't there, but Woolfolk saw him hiding in a closet.

Morris was restraining the family dog when he said he saw Woolfolk turn and Carr follow him into the living room. As Carr left the room, his stepfather heard the shots. He saw Woolfolk on the floor and Carr standing next to him. "I said, 'What did you do?'"

Carr ran to a friend's house five blocks away, where police arrested him later that morning after a tense two-hour standoff during which he held four children and three adults hostage.

In a videotaped police interview shown in court, Carr claimed that Woolfolk had threatened to kill him.

Forensics expert Dr. William Gormley said Woolfolk had been shot in the back and the back of the head. A shot to the back of the neck killed him.

_________________
Bill Marx, Sr.
"FREE STATE BAIL BONDS"
"FREE STATE INVESTIGATIONS"
DCJS: 99-176979
Cell: 434-294-0222

"Endeavor to Persevere" "Lone Watie"

"Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that , comes from bad judgment" "Will Rogers"

As you will read the sentence will come in on Nov. 7th. and I will post it here....
related info follows:

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

By MICHAEL MARTZ
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

Bad timing cost James E. Carr seven years of freedom.

A Richmond jury recommended yesterday that Carr serve 40 years in prison for first-degree murder and felonious use of a firearm in the death of bail bondsman James W. Woolfolk III.

Minutes before the jury signaled that it had reached a decision on the sentence in its second day of deliberations, Carr's defense attorney and Richmond prosecutors had reached a plea agreement that would have given him 33 years in prison.

"I really have no reason to accept the plea agreement," Circuit Judge Beverly W. Snukals told the attorneys before calling in the jury to render its verdict.

Snukals will sentence Carr on Nov. 7, but members of Woolfolk's family left court yesterday satisfied with the jury's decision. The jury convicted Carr of first-degree murder on Tuesday.

"Though nothing will bring him back, this sure helps," said Theresa Godbold, niece of the 39-year-old bail bondsman, who was killed March 6 in South Richmond while trying to arrest Carr, 20, for skipping court on a felony drug charge.

James Woolfolk was the first bail bondsman killed in Virginia while on duty in recent memory. He was unarmed when he was shot three times from behind after finding Carr hiding in a bedroom closet at 2313 Joplin Ave.

"I shot him three times in the back. . . . I did a cowardly act," Carr confessed Tuesday evening during testimony on the sentencing.

Prosecutors said Carr had a simple reason for shooting Woolfolk: "He just did not want to go back to jail," said Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Ann Cabell Baskervill, who called the shooting "a cold-blooded execution."

Carr's stepfather, Michael Morris, testified that Woolfolk had turned his back and started toward the living room when he was shot. "He said, 'All right, Jimmy, you know what this is. Let's go.'" Woolfolk's mother, Theresa Woolfolk, said the family was satisfied with the recommended sentence. "We hope the best for James Carr and his family," she said.

Defense attorney Dean C. Marcus said Carr had shown remorse from the beginning for killing Woolfolk. "It's been eating him up," Marcus said after the jury rendered its recommendation.

But Chief Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney Matthew P. Geary responded, "If Mr. Carr was truly remorseful for what he did, he would have spared his family and the victim's family the agony of trying this case."

Carr still faces charges in Richmond of illegal possession of a firearm by a felon, felony drug possession, and failure to appear in court -- the charge that brought Woolfolk to the house where he died. He also faces a charge that he violated his probation on a robbery charge in Henrico County, where he had a suspended sentence of 10 years.

Geary said his office is working with Henrico to revoke the suspension and reinstate the full sentence.
Contact Michael Martz at (804) 649-6964 or mmartz@timesdispatch.com.

Staff writer Linda Dunham contributed to this report.

_________________
Bill Marx, Sr.
"FREE STATE BAIL BONDS"
"FREE STATE INVESTIGATIONS"
DCJS: 99-176979
Cell: 434-294-0222

"Endeavor to Persevere" "Lone Watie"

"Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that , comes from bad judgment" "Will Rogers"

For your info... here is a picture to go with the story....

_________________
Bill Marx, Sr.
"FREE STATE BAIL BONDS"
"FREE STATE INVESTIGATIONS"
DCJS: 99-176979
Cell: 434-294-0222

"Endeavor to Persevere" "Lone Watie"

"Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that , comes from bad judgment" "Will Rogers"

Damm, Someone hand him a comb or a pick.......

_________________
Steve Faircloth
A Way Out Bail Bonds
(220) 204-9733 Cell
NSIN# SF0105
LIC. #704058

Other topic deleted, Bill & Steve. GEEZ, we have to do everything for you guys .

_________________
Kathy Blackshear
Blackshear Investigations
Blackshear Bail Bonds
Sales Associate, Prepaid Legal Services, Inc.
Walsenburg, CO

Proud Member of the AB Reject Club