Look Who it Was Random video

$500K Cash Bond Set for Hiawatha Robinson

231 views · Published 14 January 2015 · 2:59 · Indexed 21 September 2026

Channel: NBC 15 · 2015 · News & Politics

Watch on YouTube

MOBILE, Ala. (WPMI) Mobile County District Judge Bob Sherling set a high bond Wednesday for Hiawatha Robinson, the father accused of murdering his 8-year-old daughter Hiawayi Robinson. Hiawatha must come up with half a million dollars in cash if he wants to bond out of Metro Jail.

In court, he told the judge he couldn't even afford an attorney. Art Powell was appointed to represent him.

Judge Sherling several times during the hearing said he was inclined not to grant bond but explained he had no choice. To make his point crystal clear, he held a large printed poster in court outlining his obligation by law to set bond for all defendants.

The only exception is defendants accused of capital murder, which Sherling said Hiawatha could qualify for given the accusation he killed his daughter while sodomizing her.

"Why not pursue a capital case against him?" asked Local 15's Andrea Ramey.

"I can't really comment on the facts of the case. I will say the charges were brought after careful consideration of all the evidence and that is what is charged at this time. There are not, at this point in the investigation, for the charges to be upgraded," said Mobile County Assistant District Attorney Jill Phillips.

Phillips declined to share many details about the case.  However, Prichard Chaplain Patrick Munnerlyn did discuss how Hiawayi appeared when she was discovered in a trash pile in Prichard September 18, 2014.

"Hiawayi was so neatly laid down, like someone cared," said Munnerlyn. "She was found with one pants leg down, one panty leg down to suggest, you know. And it just looked like it was staged. With one down to one leg and the other completely off. and laid out."

The court though would hear no official testimony about what happened. The state declined to put on any witnesses.

"We're not prepared to offer testimony at this point," said Phillips.

And with that, Sherling said he had no option but to set bond, at least a high one, $250,000 cash for each horrific charge Hiawatha's accused of.

"It was totally devastating. It was a heartbreaking situation. He was one of the people to help with the search. Just to know a lot of misleading things was going on at that point was just really devastating for me and so many other people," said Rep. Napoleon Bracy.

A grand jury could always upgrade the charges to capital murder, which means he would be eligible for the death penalty. Phillips declined to say when the grand jury would review the case. 

Hiawatha Robinson will be back in court on January 5.

More from this channel