By Brian Smith
Register News Writer
RICHMOND — Two men charged in connection with an early-morning robbery at a Richmond convenience store appeared in Madison Circuit Court on Wednesday for a pretrial conference.
Billie A. Masters, 45, is charged with first-degree robbery in the Dec. 9 incident at the Dairy Mart convenience store on Commercial Drive. The alleged getaway driver, James Reynolds Robinson, 46, was indicted on complicity to commit first-degree robbery and a misdemeanor driving under the influence charge.
Senior Judge Julia Adams, assigned to hear the case after Madison Circuit Judge Jean C. Logue recused herself, conducted the conference Wednesday afternoon.
Robinson’s attorney, Richmond lawyer Jim Baechtold, told Adams that an evaluation of his client by Kentucky Correctional Psychiatric Center doctors needed to be done before the case could proceed.
Baechtold said he has concerns about whether Robinson could be considered criminally responsible for his alleged role in the incident, and said several Madison County Detention Center employees had reported Robinson was suffering from extreme effects of alcohol withdrawal following his arrest.
Masters’ attorney, public defender Meena Mohanty, asked Adams to consider amending his bond from $50,000 cash to $25,000 cash.
Commonwealth’s Attorney David Smith said he felt that the $50,000 bond was “not unreasonable” considering the severity of the robbery charge and a first-degree persistent felony offender charge against Masters, but deferred to Adams’ judgment.
Masters is accused of walking into the store around 6:20 a.m., shortly after it opened for business on Dec. 9, brandishing a handgun and demanding money from a clerk, according to Richmond police.
Robinson and Masters were pulled over near the scene shortly after the robbery took place, and police said Masters fit the description of the suspect provided by the clerk.
Police later searched Robinson’s home and found additional evidence linking him to the crime.
A pretrial conference is scheduled for April 2 pending the outcome of Robinson’s evaluation.
Brian Smith may be reached at bsmith@richmondregister.com or at 624-6694. For breaking news, follow Brian at www.twitter.com/RR_BSmith.
