by mafiastudent » Wed Sep 09, 2020 11:16 am
Judge: Andrew Campos Could Get "Total Freedom" with a "Speedy Trial"
Andrew Campos may not have gotten his bail restrictions loosened like he wanted, but there’s hope on the horizon.
BY LISA BABICK
SEPTEMBER 9, 2020
Andrew Campos may not have gotten approval for his nighttime curfew request, but he might not have to worry about his strict bail conditions for much longer.
At today’s hearing on Campos’ Aug. 21 motion to loosen his strict home confinement restrictions to an 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. nighttime curfew, Judge Frederic Block suggested that a speedy trial would be the best way to solve that problem.
The “best remedy for Mr. Campos is to get acquitted as quickly as possible since he’s obviously innocent,” Block said. “So, I think it’s in his best interest to get a speedy trial.”
“You get this thing done and over with and he has total freedom.”
Although Judge Block turned down Campos’ motion saying, “I’m not going to let him out. I mean that would be foolish on my part,” he did make accommodations so that Campos could visit his mother-in-law and grandmother. Pretrial Services (PTS) had previously denied Campos’ request to do so.
Block also made a point to mention that if he did lift Campos’ restrictions that he would then have to do the same for the other defendants in the case as well.
“I mean, how do I treat them differently?” Block pondered.
So, Judge Block suggested that getting the “case tried” would be the best solution for everybody.
During the 15-minute telephone conference, he told both parties to prepare to set a trial date at the status hearing conference scheduled for Oct. 1.
AUSA Kayla Bensing told the Court that the government “can be prepared to go to trial” and would have a schedule ready to present at the Oct. 1 conference.
However, Campos’ attorney Henry E. Mazurek said the defense had several pretrial motions to submit based on the discovery material received from the government and those motions could delay the entire process.
But Judge Block said that whatever pretrial motions the defense had could be submitted to him as soon as possible – even as soon as today.
“Make whatever motions you want to make now,” Block advised. “This is one of the reasons I wanted to speak to everyone today – to move the ball.”
Block believed that Campos could have a jury trial as early as the end of October or November, but no later than January of next year, stating he was “cautiously optimistic” that the court system seemed to be moving towards some sort of normalcy now that the Covid-19 crisis is somewhat under control.
And he reiterated that Campos’ best bet at ridding himself of those severely limiting bail restrictions would be getting his case to trial.
“This case may not be the strongest case I’ve seen in my 26-year-period,” Block said at the end of the conference. “So, I’m going to do everything I can…for Mr. Campos to gain his freedom.”
Judge: Andrew Campos Could Get "Total Freedom" with a "Speedy Trial"
Andrew Campos may not have gotten his bail restrictions loosened like he wanted, but there’s hope on the horizon.
BY LISA BABICK
SEPTEMBER 9, 2020
Andrew Campos may not have gotten approval for his nighttime curfew request, but he might not have to worry about his strict bail conditions for much longer.
At today’s hearing on Campos’ Aug. 21 motion to loosen his strict home confinement restrictions to an 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. nighttime curfew, Judge Frederic Block suggested that a speedy trial would be the best way to solve that problem.
The “best remedy for Mr. Campos is to get acquitted as quickly as possible since he’s obviously innocent,” Block said. “So, I think it’s in his best interest to get a speedy trial.”
“You get this thing done and over with and he has total freedom.”
Although Judge Block turned down Campos’ motion saying, “I’m not going to let him out. I mean that would be foolish on my part,” he did make accommodations so that Campos could visit his mother-in-law and grandmother. Pretrial Services (PTS) had previously denied Campos’ request to do so.
Block also made a point to mention that if he did lift Campos’ restrictions that he would then have to do the same for the other defendants in the case as well.
“I mean, how do I treat them differently?” Block pondered.
So, Judge Block suggested that getting the “case tried” would be the best solution for everybody.
During the 15-minute telephone conference, he told both parties to prepare to set a trial date at the status hearing conference scheduled for Oct. 1.
AUSA Kayla Bensing told the Court that the government “can be prepared to go to trial” and would have a schedule ready to present at the Oct. 1 conference.
However, Campos’ attorney Henry E. Mazurek said the defense had several pretrial motions to submit based on the discovery material received from the government and those motions could delay the entire process.
But Judge Block said that whatever pretrial motions the defense had could be submitted to him as soon as possible – even as soon as today.
“Make whatever motions you want to make now,” Block advised. “This is one of the reasons I wanted to speak to everyone today – to move the ball.”
Block believed that Campos could have a jury trial as early as the end of October or November, but no later than January of next year, stating he was “cautiously optimistic” that the court system seemed to be moving towards some sort of normalcy now that the Covid-19 crisis is somewhat under control.
And he reiterated that Campos’ best bet at ridding himself of those severely limiting bail restrictions would be getting his case to trial.
“This case may not be the strongest case I’ve seen in my 26-year-period,” Block said at the end of the conference. “So, I’m going to do everything I can…for Mr. Campos to gain his freedom.”