Stepdad accused of raping 9-year-old girl out on bail (Munford, Tennessee)

Stepdad FREDDY SMITH is out on bail after the the judge lowered it to an obscenely low amount. Stepdad is charged with raping a 9-year-old girl, and the family says the girl is terrified, since this monster threatened to kill her, her mother, and her little sister if she ever told. WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH THIS JUDGE???

http://www.myeyewitnessnews.com/news/local/story/Accused-Tipton-County-Child-Rapist-Out-of-Jail/N1saKQB1yEuKQsgET9qU2A.cspx

Accused Tipton County Child Rapist Out of Jail
Reported by: Joyce Peterson
Last Update: 3/07 11:01 pm

MUNFORD, TN - Several families in Tipton County say they're disappointed with the justice system. And nowhere is that disappointment greater than in Munford.

Freddy Smith, a 59 year-old man charged with three counts of child rape, is out of jail after Circuit Court Judge Joe Walker lowered Smith's bond from $100,000 to $50,000. Smith had been in jail since his August arrest when he was charged with raping his 9 year-old step-daughter. Court documents show he's accused of performing oral sex on the girl on at least two occasions.

On the street where authorities say the attacks happened, neighbors are in disbelief.

"It's ridiculous," says Cary Ballard. "I don't know anything else to say other than that."

The victim's family tells Eyewitness News they're fearful of Smith. In August, the little girl's grandmother who we'll identify only as "Tracy", said the child was distraught and terrified of her accused attacker.

"She was wearing oversize clothing to hide her body," says Tracy. "She would sit with her legs up to her chest. She was told he would kill her and her little sister and mother. She was never to mention anything about it."

Mike Dunavant, the district attorney on the case, says he's also disappointed that Smith has been released.

"We opposed the lowered bond," he told Eyewitness News on Friday, March 6, 2009. "We had concerns he might be a threat to the victim if he got out. We sympathize with the family but the judge did follow the state bond statute."

Back in the Munford neighborhood where Smith used to live, neighbors are glad to hear he won't be coming back to his house any time soon, as per court order. Still, they have concerns.

"Yes, I'm worried," says Cary Ballard, "because there are a lot of kids out here. We got kids running around here all the time."

And no one's more worried than the little girl Freddy Smith is accused of raping.

Here grandmother says, "she's a nervous wreck. She's scared to get out and about. She's afraid she'll run into him. It's just been awful. It's been a nightmare."

Freddy Smith's wife has filed for a divorce and she also took out an order of protection against him.

As a condition of his bond, Smith is not allowed to leave town. He is also not allowed to have any contact with the victim or her family. He's scheduled to go to trial in the next few weeks.