St. Martinville – Deraficus Williams, under indictment in the March shooting death of Clarence Hypolite Jr., was released on $300,000 bond Wednesday, July 9.

This is the second time Williams, 25, has bonded out of jail in connection with the high-noon shooting on Breaux Bridge’s Wade Street.

Prosecutor Chester Cedars said he used a little-known statute to have Williams re-arrested and given a new bond hearing after the indictment came down in June.

Williams was released on the day of his arrest under $150,000 bond, which Cedars said was “a little low” under the circumstances.

“The bond was increased and special conditions put on it that he have no contact with any family members of the victim and that he not go to any bars or anything of that nature,” Cedars said.

Williams was living on the same street as the victim’s fiancee, who complained to authorities that he was taunting her in public.

The second-degree murder case achieved additional notoriety when the grand jury offered its opinion that the Breaux Bridge Police Department had been less than professional in its investigation of the shooting death. The allegation prompted the City Council to authorize a special citizens’ committee to review the operation of the police department.

The members of that committee have not yet been announced.

The shooting happened after 11 a.m. on Thursday, March 20, at the intersection of Landry and Wade. A number of witnesses reportedly described an outdoor argument between Williams and Hypolite prior to the shooting.