Judge reduces bond for man accused of fatally shooting rival at east Erie park in January
An Erie County judge has lowered the bond holding a 25-year-old man in the Erie County Prison on charges of fatally shooting another man when the two met up to fight at a park in east Erie in mid-January.
Judge Daniel Brabender reduced the $250,000 bond set for Michael N. Ochrang at his Jan. 15 arraignment to 10% of $150,000 bond during a bond hearing Monday morning. Ochrang's lawyer, Gene Placidi, had sought to have the bond reduced to 10% of $100,000.
Erie County Assistant District Attorney Jeremy Lightner objected to any reduction of Ochrang's bond.
Ochrang is accused of fatally shooting Noah King, 21, when the two met to fight at Rodger Young Park in Erie on the evening of Jan. 15. King was shot in the chest and hip and died of the chest wound, according to the Erie County Coroner's Office.
Erie police initially charged Ochrang with offenses that included a lead charge of aggravated assault. Prosecutors added a count of third-degree murder against Ochrang at his preliminary hearing on Feb. 22, and Erie 2nd Ward District Judge Ed Wilson held Ochrang for court on all charges following the hearing.
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Placidi had tried unsuccessfully to get Wilson to lower Ochrang's bond at the preliminary hearing. He argued in court Monday that the $250,000 bond that was set at arraignment when Ochrang initially faced aggravated assault was excessive, and he said there were factors he believed supported a reduced bond now.
Those factors included Ochrang admitting to shooting King, calling 911 to report the shooting and remaining on the scene; his dismantling of the gun used in the shooting and his placing of the gun on the hood of his car; and his continued cooperation in the police investigation, Placidi said.
Placidi also told Brabender that the case against Ochrang is going to be one of self-defense. He highlighted testimony from the preliminary hearing that included statements that King brought a gun to the fight and pointed it at Ochrang first.
"My client had no intention of firing a gun," Placidi said.
Lightner told Brabender that Ochrang and King were in a feud involving a girl and "drama," and that led to bad blood between the two men. But he pointed out that Ochrang brought two guns to Rodger Young Park, one that he carried and another that was in his vehicle, and that Ochrang shot King after King had put his gun away. The weapon that King had was found in his pocket, Lightner said.
More:Prosecutors add third-degree murder count against Erie man in fatal shooting at city park
Brabender set as conditions for Ochrang's new bond that he remain in Erie County and have no contact with King's family or with anyone else connected with King.
Ochrang is next scheduled to appear in court for his formal arraignment on April 3.
Contact Tim Hahn at thahn@timesnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ETNhahn.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Bond lowered for man facing third-degree murder in Erie park shooting
