Christopher Trail, 28, Fifth Avenue SE in Red Bay, was charged with pharmacy robbery, kidnapping first degree, four counts of kidnapping second degree, two counts of theft second degree and one count of burglary second degree, according to district attorney Joey Rushing.

By Alison James

alison.james@gmail.com

A bond hearing Wednesday addressed multiple charges against the suspect in the Redmont Pharmacy robbery in Red Bay June 9.

Christopher Trail, 28, Fifth Avenue SE in Red Bay, was charged with pharmacy robbery, kidnapping first degree, four counts of kidnapping second degree, two counts of theft second degree and one count of burglary second degree, according to district attorney Joey Rushing.

Pharmacy robbery, Rushing said, is a Class A felony. “If he’s convicted then he won’t be eligible for probation or parole,” Rushing said. “You serve your entire sentence. That makes it a very serious charge … Other than capital murder, it’s one of the most serious charges there is in Alabama law.”

Kidnapping first degree is also a Class A felony, for which Trail was charged for holding pharmacist Donna Weatherford. The four counts of kidnapping second degree are in regards to the four employees he eventually permitted to leave the pharmacy unharmed; the two counts of theft relate to controlled substances he stole from the pharmacy.

Rushing said Trail has also been charged with burglary second degree because of theft committed to acquire the gun he used to commit the robbery. Trail is accused of kicking the door in at a local residence and stealing the weapon.

Rushing said there were witnesses who saw Trail walking down the street with the gun in plain sight but did not call police.

“If you see a guy walking down the road with a long rifle, it’s usually not a good thing,” Rushing said.

Bond has been set at $450,000 for Trail, who is in the Franklin County jail.

“We argued that he was a danger to others,” Rushing said. “Anybody who goes to that extreme over such a short period … is very dangerous.”

Rushing said they also felt that Trail was a danger to himself because of his admittance to police that his intent was to be shot and killed by officers at the scene.

Trail has a 30-day window to request a preliminary hearing in writing – which Rushing said he expects to happen – at which a district judge will determine whether there is probable cause to send the case to a grand jury; otherwise, the case will automatically be eligible for the next grand jury in September. If indicted, Trail’s case will move into circuit court.

Trail will remain in the Franklin County Jail throughout this period unless and until he posts bond.