Warrants accusing an Augusta man of violating his probation – for allegedly committing the new crimes of murder and burglary – were dropped this week when subpoenaed witnesses failed to show up for a court hearing.
Brandon Pierre Hill, 28, was facing time in prison if the judge found he had violated probation. But after the prosecutor conceded to the defense attorney’s request for dismissal because of the no-show witnesses, Judge Amanda Heath reinstated Hill’s probation.
The murder charge against Hill may also be dismissed, according to defense attorney Carl Cansino of Milledgeville. He told the judge Tuesday, April 12, during Hill’s Richmond County Superior Court hearing that the only witness to the Baldwin State Prison homicide Hill is accused of committing has also been murdered.
Hill has been in and out of prison several times since 2013. He was sentenced in January 2013 to eight years in prison followed by seven years on probation when he pleaded guilty to the unrelated crimes of burglary, theft and robbery, according to court records.
Hill was released early on parole after serving five years behind bars, but he has been returned twice for violating conditions of his release, according to court and Department of Corrections’ public records.
Tuesday, his probation officer sought to send Hill back to prison again for violating probation. Without witnesses, however, there was no way to provide the evidence the judge would need to do that.
It was during Hill’s last return to prison that he allegedly ended up in a prison cell with 21-year-old Jamari McClinton in August 2021. Five days after McClinton was moved into Hill’s cell, he was repeatedly stabbed with a homemade knife, according to news report at the time.
McClinton’s family told The Atlanta Journal Constitution that he was transferred to the Baldwin County facility after he had a confrontation with a gang member at another prison. Although he had been in protective custody before the transfer, the same safety precautions were not extended at the prison near Milledgeville, McClinton’s family told the AJC.
After McClinton was killed and Hill was charged with murder, Hill was moved to another prison until he maxed out, served every day of his prison sentence, on Oct. 24, 2021, according to the DOC’s public records.
The Ocmulgee Judicial Circuit District Attorney T. Wright Barksdale III, whose jurisdiction includes Baldwin County, told The Augusta Press on Wednesday that he could not discuss details of Hill’s case because it is pending.
Hill could be returned to Baldwin County to face the murder charge at any time, or he could remain in the Augusta jail until a new burglary charge here is closed or he is granted bond.
Hill is charged with burglary for break-in that allegedly occurred in Augusta in November 2020. He has not been indicted on the charge yet, according to court records.
Hill was granted a $100,000 bond on the murder charge, which his family has already posted, his attorney said at this week’s probation revocation hearing.
If Hill is also granted bond on the burglary charge in Augusta, he would be free unless convicted and sentenced to prison again for the burglary charge here or the murder case in Baldwin County.
Sandy Hodson is a staff reporter covering courts for The Augusta Press. Reach her at sandy@theaugustapress.com.
