A vehicle repairman accused last month of the attempted murder of an Opa-locka city commission candidate was cleared of the charge Wednesday – yet remains on house arrest and is now only permitted to leave his home to go to work, the grocery store or court.
Anthony Mitchell, 50, appeared briefly Wednesday morning before Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Zachary James and was told he will remain under home detention as he fights a battery charge from an August confrontation with Opa-locka commission candidate Chris Davis.
Mitchell’s attorney Michael Pizzi petitioned James to release Mitchell from detention, arguing the dropping of the attempted murder charge was a substantial change and that his client should be freed.
“He’s on the verge of losing his job,” Pizzi said.
James agreed to loosen the restrictions, but opted to keep Mitchell on home arrest until his December trial date.
Outside the courtroom, Pizzi said his client was jailed after a “bald faced lie.” And the attorney said he’d never had a client who was under house arrest for a battery charge. Mitchell, who refused to speak to the media, stood by his side.