Police and prosecutors were shocked when a judge decided to release a man accused of killing a woman in 2006.

Kenneth Williams had been in jail since his arrest and charged with first-degree murder in the July 2006 shooting death of 51-year-old Martha Kirkley.

At a hearing in the case this week, Judge John Merrett eliminated Williams' bond, allowing him to be released to house arrest. He must wear an electronic ankle bracelet so his movements can be monitored.

Williams' release shocked police and prosecutors.

"This guy's preying on people in this community and we've got to do what we can to make that community safe," Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Undersheriff Frank Mackesey said. "You do that by putting these thugs in jail, one person at a time."

Mackesey said the release is especially troubling because Williams, 23, shot Kirkley because he though she was a snitch.

"I mean, this guy is in jail for killing someone that he thinks that testified against him on an earlier date, so I can only imagine what kind of fear this sends to the witnesses in the current case against him," Mackesey told Channel 4's Laura Mazzeo.

But Williams' defense attorney, Richard Kuritz, strongly disagrees.

"My client is not a threat to the community and that reference that there was a snitch in another case is absolutely unfounded," Kuritz said. "Nobody at the JSO is going to be able to cite to you a case in which this victim was a snitch in any case much less against my client."

The move especially stunned others in law enforcement because Merrett has a reputation for admonishing criminals and ordering long sentences.

Merrett cannot comment on a pending case, but before releasing Williams, he said the state's case was getting weak.

"Obviously were very happy the judge was strong enough in this case simply to follow the law to the facts of this case," Kuritz said. "(It) may not be a politically popular decision, but that's his job."

Kuritz said that many of the witness have credibility issues and are criminals themselves.

Police said that's no reason to let Williams out of jail.

"This guy murdered somebody. The victim before she died, said his name. She had an excited utterance at the scene telling us that," Mackesey said. "You know, it may be a weak case because of the credibility of the witness, but this case is what we got and the victim deserves that."

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