NY Appeals Court Nixes 'Unreasonable' Bail of $2M for Accused 'Hockey Mom Madam,' Sets Bond at $250K
After three months in jail, a mother of four accused of running a call-girl operation in New York City’s well-to-do Upper East Side has a better chance of winning release on bond.
Anna Gristina, who has no prior criminal record, should not have had her bail set at $2 million by a Manhattan Supreme Court judge, a New York appeals court has ruled. It called the amount “unreasonable” and said the judge abused his discretion before reducing bail, in Tuesday’s appellate ruling, to $250,000 or $125,000 cash with an ankle bracelet, the New York Post reports.
Gristina’s counsel said she will still have trouble raising the reduced amount of bail but may be able to do so.
Although the prosecution had argued that high bail was needed for the woman popularly known as the accused “hockey mom madam” because she is a flight risk, the supreme court’s Appellate Division disagreed.
“Among other factors, we note that notwithstanding the notoriety of this case, petitioner is charged with a class D, nonviolent felony and she has no criminal record. In addition she is a long-term resident of Orange County, is married, and is the mother of four children, including a 9-year-old child, who are United States citizens,” a five-judge panel explained in a written opinion.
The defendant’s counsel has been arguing that the high bail was intended to pressure her into cooperating with the prosecution concerning others who are accused of involvement in the claimed prostitution operation, as an earlier New York Post article details.
Additional coverage:
ABAJournal.com: “Judge Says Lawyer Who Wants to Use His Own $2.5M Loft for Accused Madam’s $2M Bond Isn’t Her Counsel”
