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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- An 44-year-old man accused of beating someone to death over a drug argument is back in custody after going unaccounted for almost a month.
Charles Barnes was picked up late yesterday by Salt Lake Police. They had actually stopped him for jaywalking, and later learned he had an outstanding warrant for felony first-degree murder.
Barnes is accused in the July beating death of a man named Jerry Coates. Also accused is a 39-year-old named Robin Lance Kaaloa.
Kaaloa has been in police custody since he was initially picked up. But Barnes was ordered to be let out of jail on pretrial release March 30th -- against the wishes of county officials charged with monitoring him.
He was supposed to keep regular contact with workers, but didn't even make the first meeting.
Despite being accused of murder and once being recommended for 500-thousand dollars bail, Barnes never had to pay for his release.
The Salt Lake District Attorney's Office says that kind of arrangement is somewhat unusual for people accused of murder. However, they also say there's no indication someone made a mistake, because Barnes didn't commit any crimes while he was free and he's back in custody now.
(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
