Curtis Flowers Released On Bond After Spending More Than 20 Years Behind Bars

WINSTON COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI)- After spending more than two decades behind bars, Circuit Court Judge Joseph Loper granted bail for Curtis Flowers.

Judge Loper made the decision inside a Montgomery County Courtroom Monday morning.

The bond amount was set at $250,000.

Flowers was charged with the 1996 deaths of four people at Tardy Furniture, which is also where he once worked.

The Winona man walked out of the Winston County Correctional Facility Monday evening locked arm in arm with family members and his attorneys walking behind him.

“I’m excited, I don’t know what to say, I can’t think straight,” said Flowers after being released on bond.

While he was happy to be out and with his family, there was one supporter he wishes he could’ve shared this moment with, his mother.

She passed away while he was behind bars.

“She would probably be doing flips right now,” said Flowers. “She looked forward to this. She always knew it would come, she said she didn’t know if she would be here or not.”

Flowers has been tried six times for the same crime, the deaths of Bertha Tardy, Derrick “Bobo” Stewart, Robert Golden, and Carmen Rigby.

Two of those trials ended in mistrials and his four convictions have been overturned.

His most recent conviction was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court on the grounds that African-Americans were unfairly kept off of the jury.

“It’s been rough, it’s been rough,” Flowers expressed. “I’ve been taking it one day at a time, keeping God first. I think that’s how I got through it. I just want to thank all of my supporters and everyone.”

Now that he’s out on bond, Flowers will be able to spend Christmas with his family and friends for the first time in more than two decades.

For some of them, this is their first time being able to physically touch and hug him since he was arrested more than 20 years ago

Flowers said it’s been a long time coming and he already has plans on what he wants to do as soon as he gets home.

“I’m going to get something to eat and see what the holidays will be like,” he said.

Flowers is required to wear an ankle monitor while he’s out on bond.

His attorneys are maintaining his innocence and said they will pursue having all charges dropped against Flowers in 2020.

WCBI reached out to the victims families, however, they declined to give a comment.