Ballard Back In Court

The man charged with murdering two bicyclists last year will be back in court tomorrow. 20 year old Patrick Ballard is applying for youthful offender status.
If granted, it would mean a big difference in the amount of time Ballard could spend behind bars if his is convicted.
Dressed in prison stripes, Patrick Ballard is back in a Baldwin County courtroom as the legal wrangling continues before hsi murder trial begins.
He's accused in the horrific crash that killed Art Clemmons and Bill Imle almost a year ago along a winding road in Baldwin County.
A teenager at the time, Ballard is applying for youthful offender status. His attorney is Jim Byrd. "The youthful offender requires the judge to do an investigation of the person, the defendant, to learn about his history and what he is like, so the judge can make an informed decision about if the benefits of youthful offender should be applied."
Those benefits can make a big difference according to Assistant District Attorney Hallie Dixon. "It limits punishment from zero to three years. It changes the amount of probation you can get, it can only be three years. So it completely changes the nature of punishment you are subject to as well as fines but more importantly, it seals your record."
In Alabama, youthful offender status can be granted to a person under the age of 21 or if the crime was committed when the person was under 21. Ballard was 19 when the crash occurred.
"It has to be addressed by a court. At his age, you cannot try a a defendant without addressing youthful offender even if he didn't we would have to mention it to the court," says Dixon.
Although eligible for bond, Ballard remains in jail after a brief release earlier this month. "Mr. Ballard was out of jail for one day for 10 percent of three hundred thousand dollars," says Byrd.
He is scheduled to be back in court, Friday.
In 2005, Patrick Ballard was convicted of killing another bicyclist near Fairhope. He applied for and was granted youthful offender status in that case.