In court Friday, Fonnelze Delaine, was arraigned on a charge of accessory before the fact of murder in the deaths of Florence County couple Talya Poston and Billy Hall, Jr. 12th Circuit Solictor Ed Clements told the judge his theory that the murders were part of a plot to assassinate a witness.
Delaine told the judge he has an attorney for a drug case against him, but his family is trying to raise money to hire an lawyer for this case. Two other suspects are charged in connection with the murders. Police say Montez Barker and Laross Graham killed the couple just over two weeks ago, but they conspired with Delaine.
"I can say that the theory of this case is that this is the assassination of a witness regarding another crime and if the evidence bears that out, and we can prove that, I think that makes this case a death penalty case," said Clements.
The solicitor says he can't divulge any specifics of his theory. He won't say if he thinks both Poston and Hall were witnesses or whether one or both of them may have been preparing to testify.
He says that information will come out at a later time.
Delaine will be in court next month to let the judge know if he's hired an attorney or if he'll need a public defender.
All three suspects remain behind bars at the Florence County Detention Center.
