Ex-NBA Player Crittenton Granted Bail In Murder Case

(NewsCore) - In a move described as "rare" by the prosecution, former NBA player Javaris Crittenton was released on a $230,000 bond Tuesday -- nearly a month after his arrest on charges that he fatally shot an Atlanta mother-of-four, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

A Fulton County judge found probable cause to charge Crittenton, 23, with murder in the August 19 drive-by shooting death of 22-year-old Julian Jones in Atlanta and ordered him to wear an ankle bracelet until his trial begins on October 25.

"I guess the judge made the decision that he's not a danger to the community, which is odd, given the charges," said Gwinnett County District Attorney Danny Porter. "It's not unheard of, but it's rare."

Crittenton's attorney Brian Steel brought a petition with more than 1,000 signatures to the bond hearing Tuesday, along with dozens of supporters and a host of character witnesses, including a college sweetheart and childhood friend.

Police allege that Crittenton was firing from a vehicle at a male teenager who he believed had robbed him of a diamond watch, diamond necklace and an iPhone in April. Jones was struck in the leg and died during surgery.

The former first-round draft pick disappeared after the shooting and was eventually arrested Aug. 30 when authorities in Los Angeles intercepted him after he had checked in to board a Delta Air Lines flight to Atlanta.

Crittenton, who last played in the NBA in 2009 for the Washington Wizards, is charged with homicide murder, felony murder and aggravated intent to murder.

"He's innocent of the charges," Steel said after Crittenton was arrested last month. Crittenton has also denied involvement in the shooting.

The former Georgia Tech star was the 19th pick in the 2007 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers. He played last season with the Dakota Wizards of the NBA Developmental League.

In Dec. 2009, Crittenton was involved in an incident with then-teammate Gilbert Arenas in which they allegedly pulled guns on each other over gambling debts. Arenas downplayed it as a "misguided joke," but both players were suspended for the remainder of the season.

Crittenton received a year of probation for a misdemeanor gun possession charge related to the incident.

Read more: Atlanta Journal-Constitution