The Rest of the Story on the Schooling case

It was just a little more than two years ago one of radio’s most golden voices, Paul Harvey, passed away.

In addition to his daily news and comment, Harvey was best known for his “The Rest of The Story” feature in which he would reveal some unknown chapter of a well-known event or person’s life.

Consider this a version of Harvey’s famed “The Rest of the Story.”

A few weeks ago, a headline on the front page of the Red Oak Express leaped out in a somewhat shocking manner: “Schooling released without bond after sex charge arrest.”

The story confirmed the seemingly unbelievable headline. A Red Oak man had been arrested for molesting three children, and yet released without having to pay a single red cent for a bond.
How could this be that a man accused of such a heinous crime be released as if he simply committed a minor traffic infraction? The lack of a bond seemed even more egregious when in the same newspaper, an arrest report indicated a man had to post a $300 bond for public intoxication.
Drunk outside … $300 bond. Molesting children … sign here and you can leave.
It didn’t make sense.

And it didn’t take very long for the public outrage to manifest. I started receiving phone calls and e-mails immediately, asking why, and wondering how this could happen.

While none of the critics wanted to speak out publicly through a letter to the editor, they were more than willing to criticize and bash the apparent perpetrator of this injustice: Magistrate James Branan.

And to be honest, I didn’t do much to discourage or dissuade their anger.

I too couldn’t understand why in the world the Magistrate would allow someone accused of such a serious crime to walk out of jail without posting some kind of bond. It made no sense at all.

I understand the accused is innocent until proven guilty, but yet the man charged with public intoxication still had to post a bond, so why not someone facing seven felonies?

One theory was that the evidence against the accused was lacking, making a conviction less likely. However, that didn’t make any sense, because if that were the case, why would he have ever been charged or arrested?

This is the rest of the story.

Mark Schooling is walking free today, without having to post a bond of any kind, because the arresting officer requested it.

You read that right. The officer, who conducted the criminal investigation from the start, and built a case leading to Schooling’s arrest, requested he be released without a bond.

I’ve been in the newspaper business nearly two decades, and I have never, ever, in all that time, heard of a police officer or a prosecutor requesting a suspect in this serious of a case be released without a bond.

However, after talking to the arresting officer, I was assured of two things: one, this was a very unusual case, and two, releasing the suspect without a bond was what was best for the case. While I was rebuffed in finding out more details regarding why this was the best for the case, I was left with no doubt regarding the sincerity of the officer’s assertion.

I have a theory as to why this might be best for the case, but I too will let justice run its course to see how true it may be.

While I’m frequently reminded not to rush to judgment when someone is accused of a crime, sometimes it is equally important to reserve judgment for those making decisions regarding those crimes.

And that’s the rest of this story, so far.

Gregory Orear is the General Manager/Editor of the Red Oak Express and can be emailed at publisher@redoakexpress.com.