By ROBIN SHANNON

Staff Reporter

EDGARD – A Reserve man under indictment for first-degree murder in the death of his 8-year-old stepson was sent back to prison Wednesday after a St. John judge revoked bond.

New evidence revealing that M.L. Lloyd III was beaten the night before his death and a declaration from the St. John coroner that the boy’s death was a homicide prompted Judge A.J. Kling to overturn the $2 million bond that was set for Errol Victor Sr. in June of last year. Victor was taken back into custody immediately following the hours-long hearing at the Edgard courthouse. Kling is an ad hoc judge sitting in for St. John District Court Judge Madeline Jasmine, who is serving as a supernumerary judge on the state 5th Circuit Court of Appeal.

According to Louisiana code of criminal procedures, suspects charged with capital offenses are not granted any opportunity for bail. St. John District Attorney Tom Daley said when Judge Jasmine set bond in June, Lloyd’s death had not been classified and was still under investigation by the coroner’s office. Daley said now that proof is evident and presumption is great that a capital offense took place, Victor, 43, was ordered back to jail. Victor’s attorney, Martin E. Regan Jr. of New Orleans, said he plans to appeal the ruling in 5th Circuit Court within the next few weeks.

According to reports from the Sheriff’s Office, Lloyd died April 1 after he was taken to River Parishes Hospital in LaPlace by Victor, his mother Tonya Victor, 34, and his stepbrother Errol Victor Jr., 25. When medical staff took the child, both Tonya Victor and Errol Victor Jr. left the hospital. Lloyd was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Testimony on Wednesday included a recorded statement from one of 13 children living in the Victor family home on Louisiana 3179 in Reserve at the time of Lloyd’s death. The child, whose name was not released, said that Victor and three older brothers beat Lloyd the night before he died because Lloyd had taken ice cream. He said Victor ordered the brothers to hold Lloyd down by the arms while Victor proceeded to punch the young victim and strike him with a belt.

The child went on to say that Lloyd was denied food that night and also said that Victor would often refuse to give food to his stepchildren. After Lloyd’s death, officials from St. John Community Services took nine of the children in the home, all younger than 18, into custody and placed them with other relatives.

Wednesday’s hearing had been scheduled for Jan. 14 but was delayed when Victor’s previous attorney withdrew from the case. Daley said earlier this week that he had denied a similar motion he received from Regan last Friday. Regan is now the fifth person to represent Victor in court.

“I think Mr. Victor is trying to take advantage of the system by employing and unemploying lawyers to delay his trial,” Daley said. “We cannot proceed with a felony case without a defense lawyer.”