DOTHAN, Ala. — A man accused of strangling his wife to death is seeking to have his bond reduced in an Alabama court. Stephen Miller, charged with the murder of his wife, Gloria Miller, has requested a lower bond amount from the current $1.5 million, claiming that the amount is financially unattainable and essentially serves as a denial of bail.
According to Dothan Police, Miller confessed to killing his wife after being questioned by officers. Gloria Miller was reported missing last month when she failed to return to their home on Halls Mill Road. Stephen Miller participated in the search for his wife, even speaking with local news station WDHN just hours before admitting to the crime.
Miller’s attorney, David Harrison, filed a motion in court arguing that the $1.5 million bond violates his client’s constitutional rights. Harrison asserted that the purpose of bail is to allow an accused individual to remain free until trial and to avoid preemptively punishing someone who has not been convicted. He emphasized that Miller is not a flight risk and would comply with all court orders if released on a lower bond.
In court filings, Harrison explained that the current bond amount was effectively equivalent to having no bond at all. He further requested that the bond be reduced to a range between $15,000 and $150,000, which he argued would be a more reasonable amount for Miller to post.
The defense team is also seeking a pretrial hearing to discuss not only the possibility of a reduced bond but also to examine the evidence in the case. However, no hearing date has been set as of Thursday.
As the case progresses, Miller remains in custody, and the court will decide whether to grant his request for a bond reduction in the coming weeks.
