A bond reduction hearing was held in Christian Circuit Court Wednesday morning for former Fort Campbell Army major, Christian “Kit” Martin who is accused of killing a Pembroke couple and their neighbor in 2015.
Martin’s defense attorney Tom Griffiths called three witnesses on behalf of his client to argue the $3 million dollars was unreasonable. Tim Price, a Nashville attorney who served alongside Martin in the Tennessee National Guard and Martin’s sister, Amanda Flagg who is a professor of nursing at Middle Tennessee State University.
Flagg stated if her brother was released on bond she would provide him assistance and a place to live. She also said she has no concerns that he would flee or fail to make court appearances because he is honest and trustworthy.
Martin’s daughter, Mackenzie Bennett, who lives in Nashville was also called as a witness. She stated he could live with her and she has the ability to assist her dad if he was released on bond.
Barbara Whaley, assistant attorney general, called Pretrial Services Regional Supervisor Keith Duncan as one of two witnesses.
Duncan said that if Martin was released on bond they could only communicate with him via telephone due to COVID-19 restrictions and if he is living in Tennessee.
Defense attorney, Douglas Moore argued that Martin was a law-abiding citizen prior to his arrest last year and he is not a flight risk.
Whaley argued there has been no change in the circumstances since his hearing in October 2019, and she believes he is a flight risk even though he does not have a pilot license because he previously used other names to open Facebook accounts and emails.
Martin asked if he could address using the aliases to open accounts, but Judge Atkins advised him against it until he spoke with his attorney.
Judge Atkins said he would take the arguments under advisement and would make a decision soon.
Whaley also provided defense attorneys with an update regarding DNA testing stating the FBI lab staff has been impacted by COVID-19 and she was advised they would have the test completed no sooner than the end of April but it would probably be May.
Judge Atkins did not set a trial date but scheduled another pretrial conference on Thursday morning, June 11, at 10:00.
Martin is charged with three counts of complicity to murder, arson, attempted arson, second-degree burglary and three counts of complicity of tampering with physical evidence in connection to the shooting deaths of Calvin and Pam Phillips and Ed Dansereau in November 2015.
He remains lodged in the Christian County Jail.
