Newsgroups: alt.sex.stories From: nobody@nately.ucsd.edu (Anonymous) Subject: New Bond Hearing Fri Date: Thu, 9 Mar 1995 16:10:34 +0000 Message-ID: <9503091610.AA29096@nately.UCSD.EDU> Lines: 75 JUDGE TO REVISIT BOND ISSUE FOR JAKE BAKER By Josh White The Michigan DAILY 3/9/95 LSA sophomore Jake Baker remains in prison today, his 21st birthday, but he may be released as soon as tomorrow afternoon depending on the outcome of the continuance of his detention hearing. Judge Avern Cohn had scheduled the hearing for yesterday morning, but after a motion by U.S. Attorney Ken Chadwell at the 10:30 a.m. hearing in Detroit, Cohn continued Baker's detention until tomorrow. "Ken Chadwell and (U.S. Attorney Chris Yates requested that a psychiatric evaluation be done on Jake Baker to have a professional opinion as to whether or not he is a danger to the community," said Sandy Palazollo, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's office. "They wanted to have an evaluation before Judge Cohn went forward with the bond hearing." According to the FBI and Wayne County grand jury charges, Baker is alleged to have transmitted a threat to injure or kidnap a person over interstate or foreign boundaries. The charges stem from a sexually explicit story Baker posted on the Internet newsgroup alt.sex.stories and e-mail correspondence Baker had with an Ontario man identified as Arthur Gonda. Two judges deemed Baker too dangerous for society in twice denying him bail Feb. 10. Monday, Cohn decided to revisit the bond issue in his district courtroom and sent a letter to the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals stating his intent. He scheduled yesterday's hearing after the Cincinnati court's approval in an appellate decision announced Tuesday. Cohn was the judge who, in a controversial 1989 case, ruled unconstitutional parts of the University's hate speech code. His decision to block parts of the anti-harassment policy came after he ruled that it abridged the students' rights to free speech. Baker's attorney, Douglas Mullkoff, said he is hopeful about the Friday hearing. "I am disappointed it will take a couple more days of Jake being in jail," Mullkoff said. "But Jake is improving and I am optimistic about Friday's outcome." "The judge has asked Jake's mother to appear in court on Friday, which I take as a good omen." Chadwell said Pre-Trial Services will select a doctor to evaluate Baker today and tomorrow, but the doctor's name has not been released. "He will be evaluated and that will probably be the extent of the new evidence presented on Friday," Chadwell said. "Judge Cohn has expressed an interest in hearing the bond issue himself and we should have a decision mid-afternoon Friday." Mullkoff said Baker is faring well in jail. "Jake's spirits are improving," Mullkoff said. "He will definitely now spend his birthday behind bars, but hopefully he wont have to spend his 21st birthday and 2 days in jail." Bakaer's trial before Cohn is scheduled to begin Monday, April 3 in the U.S. District Court in Detroit. After Baker's Feb. 9 arrest, one month ago today, he began his time behind bars in Wayne County Jail and was later moved to Milan Federal Correctional Institution. Mullkoff said he is working on a motion to dismiss the case and has filed a motion to have the court release Baker until his trial.