Timeline of Events in Baker Case
- October 3, 1994
- Baker posts Gone Fishin', a story describing the rape, torture, and murder of a teenage girl and her
boyfriend by her brother and his friend, to the newsgroup alt.sex.stories.
- December 15, 1994
- Baker posts A Day At Work, a story which describes the kidnapping, rape, torture, and murder of a
random victim,
to the newsgroup alt.sex.stories.
- December 1994 and January 1995
- Baker transmits e-mail messages to Arthur Gonda, a man
in Ontario, describing the kidnapping, rape, and murder of a woman.
- January 7, 1995
- Baker posts Going for a Walk, a story which describes the kidnapping, rape, torture, and murder of a
random teenage victim,
to the newsgroup alt.sex.stories.
- January 9, 1995
- Baker posts Doe,
a story which describes the rape, torture, and murder of a woman Baker
knows from class, to the newsgroup alt.sex.stories.
- January 19, 1995
- A 16 year old girl in Moscow reads the story, then tells
her father, who tells a Michigan alumnus, who notifies the University.
- January 20, 1995
- DPS officers contact Baker. Baker waives his Miranda rights
and admits to writing and posting the stories. DPS officers search
Baker's room and account with his permission, finding an unpublished story
and the e-mail conversations.
- February 2, 1995
- University President Duderstadt suspends Baker on the grounds that he
is an immediate threat to the woman named in his story.
- February 9, 1995
- FBI arrests Baker on basis of his stories and e-mail to Gonda.
Bail is denied on the belief that he is too dangerous to release, as
determined by a judge. Baker charged with violating 18 U.S.C. s 875(c).
- February 10, 1995
- After a detention hearing, Baker is again denied bail by a different
judge. A defense
appeal for bail bond is denied. Probable cause hearing scheduled for 2/17/95.
Baker's lawyer appeals no-bail ruling to 6th Circuit Court in
Cincinnati.
- February 15, 1995
- Baker indicted by grand jury, negating need for probable cause hearing.
- February 17, 1995
- Baker arraigned, pleads not guilty.
- March 7, 1995
- Baker's bond denied by 6th Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinatti.
- March 9, 1995
- Baker released on $10,000 bond by Judge Avern Cohn.
- March 15, 1995
- Baker charge based on story dropped, Baker charged with 5 counts
based on e-mail with Gonda.
- June 21, 1995
- Charges against Baker dismissed in a ruling by Judge Avern Cohn.
Cohn cited lack of evidence that Baker would act out his fantasies.
- July 19, 1995
- Government files "notice of intent to appeal" the dismissal of
the indictment. Government now has less than 7 months to appeal
the ruling.
- November 21, 1995
- Government files appeal of dismissal. The Court of Appeals may
take months to decide the case. If the appeal is successful, the
case will be brought back to the District Court for trial.
- August 16, 1996
- 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals hears the government's appeal.
- January 29, 1997
- The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upholds the dismissal of
charges against Baker, ruling that the e-mail messages did not
constitute a credible threat.