The three suspects in the recent homicide of University of Southern Mississippi football player Marcus “MJ” Daniels have each been denied bond on their respective capital murder charges.
During an initial appearance on June 17, municipal court judge Brian Bledsoe denied those bonds for Orlando May, Allen Marcus Gardner and Samir Green. Bledsoe set bond at $100,000 each for the subjects on charges of attempted armed carjacking, but because bond was denied for the murder charges, the suspects will remain in jail even if the bond for the carjacking charges is posted.
Staff from The Pine Belt News and other outlets were not allowed into the courtroom for the appearance, as Bledsoe closed the court to media but allowed a limited number of the suspects' family members to attend.
Daniels' family also was not allowed in the courtroom. No reason was immediately given for the closure.
Plea hearings and sentences are expected at a later date.
Daniels’ murder occurred at approximately 9 p.m. June 11 at Ivy Row Apartments in the 6300 block of U.S. 49 in Hattiesburg, at which point police where immediately dispatched to the scene. Upon arriving, officers found Daniels in his car with a gunshot wound.
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The suspects were taken into custody on June 14 and were charged as follows:
- May, 18, of Hattiesburg, was charged with one count of capital murder, one count of attempted carjacking, one count of felony eluding and two counts of grand larceny auto. No information was immediately available on the bond amounts – if any – on the felony eluding and grand larceny auto charges.
- Gardner, 17, of Houston, Texas, was charged as an adult with one count of capital murder and one count of attempted carjacking.
- Green, 16, of Hattiesburg, was charged as an adult with one count of capital murder and one count of attempted carjacking.
All three were booked into the Forrest County Correctional Facility.
Daniels was a starting defensive back for the Golden Eagles, where he had started 12 games this past season. The George County High School alum spent the first two years of his college career at Ole Miss before transferring to USM.
Anyone with additional information regarding the incident is asked to call Hattiesburg police at (601) 545-4971 or Metro Crime Stoppers by dialing **Tips. Anonymous tips also can be submitted at www.p3tips.com.
Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards for information leading to felony arrests.
