Convicted arsonist returns to jail, this time for violating probation
BATON ROUGE - Security camera video shows a man in a ski mask walking up the steps of a home in New Orleans, and while wearing a ski mask, he walks towards the camera, rummages around on the porch, then walks away.
Later, the homeowner called the police, and that call landed convicted Baton Rouge arsonist Christian King back in jail.
Monday night, King was arrested for violating a protective order for a woman he was not supposed to be near in New Orleans. He was then brought back to the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison. According to District Attorney Hillar Moore, King is awaiting transfer to Orleans Parish.
“We are very interested in finding out what happened in Orleans Parish,” Moore said. “If he violated any law whatsoever, he is subject to be revoked and returned to prison on the charges that he faces here, and it's substantial time."
King has repeatedly violated restraining orders, pleading guilty earlier this year to setting an ex-girlfriend’s house on fire while she and her daughter were both in the home.
"We thought he was a dangerous person then, and now we're concerned that he's continuing to be dangerous," Moore said.
Attorney Ron Haley represents King and says he needs to see more evidence. King’s probation requires that he wear an ankle monitor.
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"Where is the GPS monitoring at that point?”, Haley asked. “Can it point him in New Orleans? Was he at that particular residence?"
A new law going into effect in January can put stricter penalties on ankle monitor companies, requiring nearly immediate alerts if batteries run low or a person is not where they should be. Moore says the new law could stop repeat offenders like Christian King.
King’s next court date is set for December 5. If a judge revokes his probation, he could be sent to prison for the remainder of his 15-year sentence in the arson case.