Judge agrees to reduce bail for teenager accused of killing mother in fire

By Brendan Kirby

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    MOBILE, Alabama (WALA) — A teenager who has been jailed for four months on murder and arson charges will be allowed to go home pending trial, a judge ruled Tuesday.

Mobile County District Judge Spiro Cheriogotis granted a defense request over prosecution objections to reduce Terrance Barney’s bail to $50,000 on the murder charge and $10,000 on the arson charge. That is down from $150,000 and $25,000, respectively.

As a condition of bond, Barney, 16, will be under house arrest and must wear an electronic monitoring devise.

The judge said he was concerned about the potential for violence since the alleged victim in the case was a relative of the defendant.

“I don’t know that I’ve seen a more serious case in my career,” he said.

But the judge said he was impressed by turnout by family members. Several were in the courtroom, including grandmother Carolyn McMillian.

“I’m trying to – he has mental health issues – get him to a mental health facility,” she said.

Firefighters responded to a fire after midnight in June at Cedar Avenue and found a woman dead outside of the home. That woman was Barney’s mother.

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