An Anonymous Donor Just Put Up $500,000 to Get Justin Carter Out on Bail

Justin Carter, the 19-year-old Texas teen who's been in jail since March 27 for making a tasteless joke on Facebook about shooting up a school, is now free on bond. NPR reports that an anonymous donor forked over $500,000 to pay his bail: 

Carter plans to stay near New Braunfels, Texas, to await his trial on a felony terroristic threat charge.

"He's glad he's out. His family is ecstatic. He feels good. He is relieved. It's been an ordeal," said Don Flanary, Carter's attorney. Flanary said he got a call Wednesday from the sympathetic donor, who said he wanted to help. The donor wired the money last night. "We got a cashier's check cut this morning and got [Carter] out. He's free," said Flanary.

Carter, who was indicted by a Comal County grand jury in April, has gotten global attention because of the First Amendment questions raised by his case and the high bail that kept him behind bars for nearly five months. Flanary told NPR last week that he had represented "murderers, rapists, terrorists" and none had had such high bail.

Carter will be staying with his family as his case winds through the courts. Flanary says the donor wants to remain anonymous. "He is betting $500,000 that Justin will show up for court," Flanary said. "At the completion of the case, the court will return the money to us, and we'll return it to the wonderful person who sent it."

More on Carter's case here.