Re: Jane Bashara Murder (thread #5)

[Darkman]

Griem reprimanded by attorney watchdog group for Bashara case subpoenas

By Jameson Cook, The Macomb Daily

Posted: 11/22/13, 7:03 PM EST | Updated: 2 weeks, 2 days ago

The former attorney for Bob Bashara was reprimanded by the state Attorney Discipline Board for improperly filing investigative subpoenas related to the probe of Jane Bashara’s murder.

David Griem, who was named Warren city attorney in June, was cited for issuing subpoenas in early 2012 for the employment and telephone records of Bashara’s eventual co-defendant, Joe Gentz, even though Bashara had not been charged with a crime.

Griem pleaded no contest and reached a consent agreement with the board in September, according to ADB records.

Grosse Pointe-based attorney Tim Dinan, who represents attorneys charged by the board, said a reprimand is “public recognition that you’ve done something wrong” and is a step above a private admonishment.

“It says, ‘Don’t do this again,’” Dinan said. “It becomes a public record, something that no one wants.”

The reprimand says that Griem violated the Michigan Court Rules and the Rules of Professional Conduct for lawyers.

Griem filed the subpoenas “at a time he mistakenly believed that he could do so to further his investigation on behalf of his client,” the reprimand says.

He also was ordered to pay $757 in costs.

In October 2012, Griem admitted to civil contempt of court during a show-cause hearing in 36th District Court in Detroit regarding the subpoenas and another allegation that he illegally shared evidence in the case with Bashara’s family members. Judge Kenneth King ordered Griem to pay $2,000 in fees to the prosecutor’s office, $4,000 to the court, and $2,000 to Susan Reed, Gentz’s attorney.

Griem was discharged as Bashara’s attorney in July 2012 before Bashara was charged in the death of Mount Clemens native Jane Bashara, 56.

Bashara, 55, is scheduled to face trial in March for compelling Gentz to strangle her in the garage of their Grosse Pointe Park home in January 2012. Her body was found in her SUV parked in an east-side Detroit ally.

Gentz, 49, formerly of St. Clair Shores, claims he was threatened and paid by Bashara to commit the act; he pleaded guilty to second degree murder and is serving 17 to 28 years in prison under the agreement to testify against Bashara.

Bashara already is serving 80 months in prison for trying to have Gentz killed while Gentz was housed in a county jail.

Griem also may be under scrutiny by legal monitors for another action related to the Bashara case. It was revealed in September during Bashara’s preliminary examination in Wayne County Circuit Court in Detroit that he held a gun possessed by Bashara for 13 months instead of immediately giving it to police. He surrendered it less than a month before the preliminary examination.

Griem denied wrongdoing, saying in September he acted properly based on the advice of “two very highly respected, well-known attorneys in the metropolitan-Detroit area.”


Source: http://www.macombdaily.com/20131122/griem-reprimanded-by-attorney-watchdog-group-for-bashara-case-subpoenas

[Darkman]

Judge May Let Incarcerated Bob Bashara Have Laptop

December 10, 2013 2:58 PM


Bob Bashara (seated, second from left), and attorneys on both sides talk at a hearing. (credit: Laura Bonnell/WWJ)

DETROIT (WWJ/AP) - A judge said Tuesday that she will consider whether a suburban Detroit man charged in the strangulation of his wife should be allowed to use a laptop computer in jail to review legal documents.

Robert Bashara, 55, appeared Tuesday in Wayne County Circuit Court, where he’s charged with first-degree murder in the death of 56-year-old Jane Bashara, who beaten and strangled at the couple’s Grosse Pointe Park home in January 2012. Her body was found in her Mercedes-Benz, which was abandoned in Detroit.

“I have very distorted vision, and being able to enlarge on a computer would be most helpful,” Bashara told Judge Vonda Evans.

Bashara spoke to Evans about his diabetes, and said he suffers from macular degeneration.

Assistant Prosecutor Lisa Lindsey, who’s worried about Internet access, said she opposes the request.

Instead, Lindsey said, Bashara should be able to review documents on his lawyer’s computer during the lawyer’s visits to the jail.

“He would be having a privilege far and above any other inmate in the county jail,” Lindsey said. “The attorneys all the time get an order from the court to allow them to take their laptops into the jail to review the discovery with the defendant.”

Defense lawyer Mark Procida said the case is special because of the volume of evidence.

“There are thousands of pages of discovery,” he said, “and it would be a lot easier for everybody if he had access on a laptop.”

“There’s more discovery in this case than I’ve had in any other case,” Procida said. “If we were to spend the time it would take to go over every bit of discovery with him on our laptops, we would be there for years.”

Evans said she doesn’t want to give the appearance of giving Bashara any special privileges, but added: “The reality is that this is not the typical run-of-the-mill case.”

Evans said she would consult with jail officials and reconsider the issue at a Jan. 9 hearing.

Prosecutors claim Bashara had his wife killed so he could live a new life with another woman.

Handyman Joe Gentz, who is in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder in Jane Bashara’s death, has said Robert Bashara threatened to kill him unless he followed orders and her.

Robert Bashara in media interviews repeatedly has denied any role. His trial is scheduled to begin March 3.

Bashara pleaded guilty last year to trying to have Gentz killed in jail.

Source: http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2013/12/10/judge-may-let-incarcerated-bob-bashara-have-laptop/

[Darkman]

December 10, 2013 at 1:08 pm

Bashara requests laptop for his jail cell

George Hunter, The Detroit News

Robert Bashara appears before Judge Vonda Evans on Tuesday at Frank Murphy Hall of Justice in Detroit. (David Coates / The Detroit News)

Detroit — Robert Bashara wants a laptop in his jail cell.

During what was supposed to be a brief hearing to set dates in Bashara’s trial on first-degree murder charges in connection with the Jan. 24, 2012, slaying of his wife, Jane, Bashara’s attorney Mark Procida said his client needs a laptop to go over thousands of pages of discovery.

Assistant Prosecutor Lisa Lindsey opposed the request, pointing to some of the accusations against Bashara.

“The people would strenuously object, due to the fact that there’s been witness intimidation, and the defendant tried to hire hit men,” Lindsey said. “It would be foolhardy to allow this man access to a laptop.”

Bashara, who turns 56 on Thursday, is accused of hiring his handyman, Joe Gentz, to kill Jane Bashara. After Gentz pleaded guilty to carrying out the hit at his boss’s behest and was handed a 17-28 year prison sentence, Bashara tried to hire Steve Tibaudo, owner of Steve's Furniture & Appliance, to kill his former employee. Tibaudo informed police and wore a recording device that captured Bashara talking about the proposed crime.

Although Bashara pleaded guilty to trying to have Gentz killed, he hasn’t said why. Prosecutors allege Bashara wanted Gentz silenced so he couldn’t finger him for his role in Jane Bashara’s slaying.

Bashara, who was given a minimum six-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to solicitation of murder, is incarcerated in the Wayne County Jail as he prepares for his March 3 murder trial.

In addition to the first-degree murder charge, prosecutors say Bashara encouraged witnesses to call in false tips about Jane Bashara’s murder, and tried to force a witness to move out of state so they couldn’t be interviewed by detectives.

During Tuesday’s hearing, Bashara was talkative, greeting Wayne Circuit Judge Vonda Evans with a cherry, “Good morning, your honor. Happy holidays.”

When Lindsey objected to Procida’s suggestion that Bashara be allowed a laptop in his cell, the defendant interjected: “I have to weigh in here. There’s something you’re missing: It’s difficult for me to read without my glasses.”

Bashara then disclosed he has macular degeneration of his eyes, brought on by diabetes. He said it would be easier to read documents on a computer screen because he could enlarge the text.

Lindsey said allowing Bashara a laptop would give him “a privilege far above any other inmate in the Wayne County Jail.”

When Bashara’s attorney pointed out his client wouldn’t have internet access, Lindsey said: “Defendants have a way of jury-rigging things.”

Procida said it would take “years” if Bashara wasn’t allowed to pore over the thousands of pages of documents in his cell.

“There’s more discovery in this case than any case I’ve ever seen,” he said.

Evans set a Jan. 9 date to discuss the laptop issue.

“I don’t want to give the appearance of giving Mr. Bashara special rights and privileges, but this is not a typical case,” Evans said.

Also atypical: Lindsey said she plans to file a motion requesting prosecutors be allowed to voir dire prospective jurors individually, which Evans said is an unusual move. Individual or sequestered voir dire is used in high-publicity cases in which attorneys fear the notoriety could damage the defendant’s ability to have a fair trial. Evans stressed she will allow each side only 20 minutes to question members of the jury pool.

Lindsey said she anticipates filing 10 to 12 motions, including one covering state-of-mind evidence for the victim. The motions must be filed by Dec. 22, and Evans allowed three hearing days if necessary — Jan. 31, Feb. 3 and 4 — to discuss them.

Procida mentioned to Evans there was a search warrant executed that could affect the attorney-client privilege, but added he couldn’t discuss the issue further.

Evans ended Tuesday’s hearing by ordering Bashara‘s attorneys to provide him the transcripts from his September preliminary examination.

“We’ve got to get up to speed on this case,” the judge said. “We just have to.”

Bashara was bound over for trial on first-degree murder charges during a preliminary exam referred to by the presiding Judge Kenneth King as “bizarre.”

Prosecutors called more than 30 witnesses during the five-day preliminary exam, including those who knew Bashara through his BDSM (bondage/discipline/sadomasochism) activities.

Among the witnesses: Bashara’s girlfriend, Rachel Gillett, who said Bashara called herself his “slave”; Janet Leehmann of Bend, Ore., whom Bashara visited because he reportedly wanted her to move in with him and Gillett; and Venita Porter, who said she lived in Bashara's dungeon beneath the Hard Luck Lounge in Grosse Pointe Park.

While trying to woo Leehmann to enter into a polygamous relationship, Bashara mailed her a T-shirt he'd worn for several days, a leather collar and a gift certificate to the Olive Garden restaurant chain, according to court testimony.

Bashara was admonished by the judge for licking his lips and making other lewd gestures to the women as they testified.

Bashara’s daughter, Jessica, also testified, saying she caught her father viewing kinky pornography on several occasions.
 
ghunter@detroitnews.com
(313) 222-2134

From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20131210/METRO01/312100043/Bashara-requests-laptop-his-jail-cell

[Darkman]

Bashara trial expected to be unprecedented in Wayne County

Bob Bashara accused of plotting to have wife Jane Bashara killed

Author: Hank Winchester, Local 4 Reporter

Published On: Dec 11 2013 06:35:26 PM EST | Updated On: Dec 11 2013 06:48:00 PM EST



DETROIT -  The Local 4 Defenders are learning new information about the Bob Bashara case and one thing is for sure: the trial is going to be huge.

The case against Grosse Pointe Park father and businessman Bob Bashara will take center stage next year. The trial likely will begin in March.

"The volume of this case is one unprecedented, really, with the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office," said legal expert Todd Flood.

The Defenders have learned there is a mountain of evidence. This case has been ongoing for almost two years. Detectives are still hard at work putting it all together. The trial itself likely will last more than a month.

"The witness list is probably close to 300 witnesses, tens of thousands of pages. I think this will be between 10,000 and 20,000 pages of documents," said Flood.

The investigation and trial will have a focus on Bashara's alleged plot to have his wife, Jane Bashara, killed. It also will take a close look at Bob's secret S&M life.

"Then they'll back it up with all these different lifestyle moments in his life and his kind of dual life," said Flood.

There are a few housekeeping items to wrap up but if everything goes according to plan the trial could get underway in March.


Source: http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/investigations/bashara-trial-expected-to-be-unprecedented-in-wayne-county/-/1719314/23439002/-/nn56pu/-/index.html

[Darkman]

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Bob Bashara, the Book, Coming Soon

Bob Bashara

Last week I signed the contract to do a book on the Bob Bashara case. It will be my fourth true crime book for Penguin imprint Berkley.  The case involved the January 2012 murder of Jane Bashara, a wife and mother in Grosse Pointe Park, Mich.  Her killer was Joe Gentz, a handyman and roustabout, who confessed to the killing but alleged he was hired by Jane’s husband Bob to carry out the murder. Bob Bashara is currently serving 6 ½ years in state prison for soliciting the jailhouse murder of Gentz, and is now charged with first-degree murder in the murder of his wife.

Joe Gentz

Also part of the story – the part that drives headlines – is the fact that Bob Bashara was involved in the BDSM lifestyle, coloring the case with a “Fifty Shades of Grey” element.  A September preliminary exam  included a number of parties connected to the case testifying in lurid, colorful detail, talking of Bob's penchant for dominance. Rachel Gillett, who was Bob's girlfriend at the time of Jane Bashara’s murder, met Bob on a BDSM chat site, where he called himself Master Bob. He also had a dungeon created for his trysts in the basement of one of several buildings he owned and rented out.
I’ve worked on the book for some of the last year and it’s in good shape already, plenty of original material that comes from some deep investigation and interviews with players large and small.
I’ve talked with Bob Bashara a number of times in the last year and much of that material will be part of this book. It’s the one thing I do with every true crime book, and I expect some Detroiters, provincial to a lovable fault, will be pissed that I even present the perspective of someone everyone expects to be found guilty. I got a lot of flak when I  did press for the first book, A Slaying in the Suburbs: The Tara Grant Murder, for talking and including the views of Stephen Grant, who was convicted of killing his wife Tara. Frank Beckman on WJR was charmingly critical of including Grant in the book when I hit his show. One book store, Borders in the northern suburbs of Detroit, refused to have an event/discussion of the book. I’m pleased to say that Borders is now out of business. That’s what I call real justice. That book, by the way, has sold over 30,000 copies, not a bad performance in the true crime genre.
The Bashara trial is scheduled for March in Wayne County.

 It will be quite the sensation, and could draw national interest, depending on how the news cycle is going at the time. The book will come out late 2014 or early 2015.





Posted by Avalanche50 at 7:38 PM

Avalanche50 (aka Steve Miller)




Source: http://killersontherun.blogspot.com/2013/12/bob-bashara-book-coming-soon.html

[Darkman]

Judge to decide if Bob Bashara gets to have laptop computer in prison

Author: Dave Bartkowiak Jr. , Online News Editor, dbartkowiak@wdiv.com

Published On: Jan 08 2014 03:12:14 PM EST

DETROIT - Bob Bashara will appear in court Thursday for a pre-trial conference to determine whether he will be allowed to have a laptop computer in prison.

The Grosse Pointe Park man is charged with murder in his wife's 2012 death. In December he told a judge that he needs the laptop to help him research for his defense in the upcoming trial.

~Snipped~

A judge will decide Thursday if Bob Bashara gets his laptop.

Read more:

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/bashara-in-court-thursday-for-laptop-in-prison-request/-/1719418/23833552/-/ghafj7/-/index.html

[Darkman]

Bashara denied laptop privileges in prison

Judge to decide if Bob Bashara gets to have laptop computer in prison

Author: Dave Bartkowiak Jr. , Online News Editor, dbartkowiak@wdiv.com
Published On: Jan 08 2014 03:12:14 PM EST   Updated On: Jan 09 2014 06:20:26 PM EST



DETROIT -  Bob Bashara has been denied access to a laptop while behind bars.

The Grosse Pointe Park man is charged with murder in his wife's 2012 death. In December he told a judge that he needs the laptop to help him research for his defense in the upcoming trial.

The prosecution is against it and on Thursday the judge in the case agreed.

Read more:

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/bashara-in-court-thursday-for-laptop-in-prison-request/-/1719418/23833552/-/ghafj7/-/index.html

[Darkman]

by Curious Portlander


Tweets from the hearing this morning (read bottom to top):


Amy Lange ‏@langeamyFOX2 22m
Judge to #Bashara "be quiet. I am not going to have this back and forth."

Amy Lange ‏@langeamyFOX2 25m
Lisa Lindsey the prosecutor says that they have not spent $1million on the case as #Bashara says

Amy Lange ‏@langeamyFOX2 27m
Judge will meet with jail officials to determine what can be done to

Amy Lange ‏@langeamyFOX2 28m
Judge Evans says let me find out if your defense was able and willing. Mr. Procida needs more assistance. #Bashara

Amy Lange ‏@langeamyFOX2 29m
#Bashara complaining about having to write with small pencils - he wants a computer - I don't want a modem or to contact anyone

Amy Lange ‏@langeamyFOX2 30m
#bashara says he just found out his other attorney, Cooper, might not be on his case anymore leaving only Mark Procida - he's concerned

Amy Lange ‏@langeamyFOX2 31m
Judge - there is no movement I am not satisfied with level of preparedness from the defense #Bashara

Amy Lange ‏@langeamyFOX2 32m
Judge admonishes #Bashara for talking to his attorney while prosecutor Lindsey is talking - she wants to give Bob a magnifying glass

Amy Lange ‏@langeamyFOX2 33m
Looking at hand-written witness statements pic.twitter.com/IqSjNCtCmK

Amy Lange ‏@langeamyFOX2 36m
Recap - judge not happy with defense counsel might find another atty for #Bashara which could push back March trial date @FOX2News

Amy Lange ‏@langeamyFOX2 39m
I need to find out who I'm going to have on this case defenders office need to do a better job or I will remove them from the case #Bashara

Amy Lange ‏@langeamyFOX2 41m
Judge sets court date Jan 23 wants schedule of how defense will assist #Bashara - she is denying computer - if we have to move case we will

Amy Lange ‏@langeamyFOX2 44m
Judge says she might look outside Wayne County for attorneys for #Bashara - "this is mr. Bashara's life"

Amy Lange ‏@langeamyFOX2 45m
Judge says I appreciate that but #Bashara has to have effective counsel and opportunity to defend himself against these charges

Amy Lange ‏@langeamyFOX2 46m
Judge says she's looking at this again in ten days. Pros is worried it would take anybody else months to get up to speed #Bashara

Amy Lange ‏@langeamyFOX2 47m
Judge says defender's office not giving #Bashara the representation he needs - doesn't have the resources - she might remove them #Bashara

Amy Lange ‏@langeamyFOX2 48m
Judge says she might have to consider removing the defense attorney from the case #Bashara

Amy Lange ‏@langeamyFOX2 49m
#Bashara says he met with his attorney once since last court date and he was given the transcript from the prelim

Amy Lange ‏@langeamyFOX2 50m
Pros Lindsey says she will give defense a list of phone calls for them to focus on in the next two weeks #Bashara

Amy Lange ‏@langeamyFOX2 51m
Pros says there are jail calls and video more than 100 hours Lisa Lindsey says #Bashara is "quite loquacious - he talks and talks and talks"

Amy Lange ‏@langeamyFOX2 53m
Defense says there are also numerous audio files hours and hours and hours. Defense doesn't have time to sit with #Bashara to review that

Amy Lange ‏@langeamyFOX2 55m
Pros says the computer must be checked - defense says we can remove the modem. Pros - just print the materials #Bashara

Amy Lange ‏@langeamyFOX2 56m
Defense attorney says they have a laptop with the discovery downloaded #Bashara

Amy Lange ‏@langeamyFOX2 57m
#Bashara needs greater visitation to review discovery on the case

Amy Lange ‏@langeamyFOX2 57m
Judge says we need to move this along - budget cuts for sheriff dept - can't monitor anything -defense at disadvantage -

Amy Lange ‏@langeamyFOX2 58m
Judge Evans says there are budgetary constraints - defense can't afford to make everything read only and jail can't monitor it #Bashara

Amy Lange ‏@langeamyFOX2 1h
It's ironic to court - prosecutors want to have their cake and eat it too #Bashara

Amy Lange ‏@langeamyFOX2 1h
Judge says this is not a normal case - BDSM lifestyle is irrelevant - this is about a murder

Amy Lange ‏@langeamyFOX2 1h
Prosecutor says he should be treated like every other prisoner in the jail and he could use reading glasses #Bashara

Amy Lange ‏@langeamyFOX2 1h
Prosecutor says there is no was to police this - judge reprimands #Bashara for reacting to prosecutor

Amy Lange ‏@langeamyFOX2 1h
Prosecutors object to giving him a computer due to his previous actions uses internet for BDSM lifestyle and contacting witnesses #Bashara

Amy Lange ‏@langeamyFOX2 1h
Wayne co jail computer area has been shut down due to budget cuts #Bashara

Amy Lange ‏@langeamyFOX2 1h
#Bashara in court - should he have access to a computer? pic.twitter.com/jpYFL3n3fS

[Darkman]

Judge questions effectiveness of Bob Bashara's legal counsel

7:57 PM, January 9, 2014  

By Elisha Anderson, Detroit Free Press Staff Writer


Bob Bashara attends a hearing Thursday in Wayne County Circuit Court in Detroit. / Mandi Wright/Detroit Free Press

The judge assigned to Bob Bashara’s case said she is not satisfied with how it is moving forward during a hearing today and said she may appoint a new defense attorney to the case.

“This is Mr. Bashara’s life,” Wayne County Circuit Judge Vonda Evans said. “And he needs somebody to be able to represent him that’s going to be able to give the time and dedication, and right now I don’t know if the defender’s office is in position to do that.”

Bashara, 56, of Grosse Pointe Park is charged with the death of his wife but has maintained his innocence, despite an admission from his former handyman, Joseph Gentz, who said he killed Jane Bashara at her husband's direction and later pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.

Evans called the skill level of Bashara’s attorney, Mark Procida, “above normal” and said if he was able to have more assistance on the case it would “greatly change this court’s belief about the representation” Bashara is getting.

“If there is a conviction ... basically I think there is a good issue for ineffective assistance of counsel,” Evans said.

Procida could not be reached for comment after the hearing.

Evans set another hearing date for Jan. 23 and told Bashara he could write down names of attorneys that he would like and the court would consider contacting them.

Bashara mentioned one name in court, attorney David Cripps, with whom he said he has communicated.

“I don’t have the amount of money that he wants to represent me,” he said.



Bashara told the court he saw Procida once since the last court hearing held on Dec. 10. He called Procida a very experienced and accomplished attorney, and said he just found out that attorney René Cooper may not be on his case anymore.

“That greatly concerns me because I think the two of them were a good team.”

Cooper could not be immediately reached for comment.

Bashara, who said he suffers from macular degeneration, an eye condition caused by his diabetes, was in the Detroit courtroom for a hearing to determine whether he should be allowed a laptop in jail to review thousands of pages of documents in his case as well and more than 100 hours of audio.

Having the computer in jail, he has said, would make it easier for him to review the documents, and he could type notes with a computer instead of using small pencils to handwrite them, making them more legible and allowing him to organize his thoughts.

Evans denied the laptop request but wanted to know whether Bashara needs any special reading glasses or other accommodations because of his eye disorder.

Bashara’s attorney has said there is more discovery in this case than any other he has been a part of and expressed concern with the amount of time that it would take lawyers to go over all the information with him using their laptops.

Prosecutors argued Bashara should not be given special treatment, noting other inmates don’t have laptops, and said it made more sense to give Bashara hard copies of documents that he could review all day and night in his cell using a magnifying glass.

Bashara’s wife was strangled and found in her SUV on Detroit’s east side in January 2012. Prosecutors have cited the alternative lifestyle and Bob Bashara’s former mistress as motives in his wife’s death.

His murder trial is scheduled to begin March 3.

Contact Elisha Anderson: eanderson@freepress.com or 313-222-5144


Source: http://www.freep.com/article/20140109/NEWS02/301090064/Bashara-hearing-laptop

[Darkman]

January 9, 2014 at 1:28 pm

Judge denies Bashara laptop, scolds his attorney

George Hunter, The Detroit News

Comments

Robert Bashara and his attorney Mark Procida before Judge Vonda Evans at Frank Murphy Hall of Justice in Detroit in December. (David Coates / The Detroit News)

Detroit — Robert Bashara was denied a laptop in jail but could get a new lawyer in an attempt by the judge to avoid an appeal on grounds of ineffective counsel should he be convicted of first-degree murder.

During a pre-trial hearing in Wayne Circuit Court that lasted more than an hour, Judge Vonda Evans chided Bashara several times for interrupting the proceedings, and once for planting his hand on his hip while listening to attorneys argue.

“Mr. Bashara, get your hand off your hip,” Evans reproached the defendant.

But the judge also expressed concern that Bashara, 56, of Grosse Pointe Park, who is charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of his wife, Jane, isn’t getting proper representation from his court-appointed attorney, Mark Procida.

When asked how often his attorney has visited him, Bashara said, “I’ve seen Mr. Procida one time (since the most recent hearing on Dec. 9).”

Evans told Procida: “That’s unacceptable. I’m concerned with the lack of preparation. I’m considering removing you from the case. All I hear is excuses, excuses, excuses. This is Mr. Bashara’s life.

“I’m not happy,” Evans told Procida. “This is a very big case. Either you’re going to do this efficiently, or you’re not going to do it.”

As the judge spoke, Bashara nodded and formed a tight-lipped smile.

Evans continued: “I know the defendant doesn’t want to hear this, but if there’s a conviction, there’s a good issue for ineffective counsel. He has to have the level of representation afforded to him under the Constitution.”

Evans told Bashara to compile a list of attorneys he wants to defend him, and she said she’d have the court contact them to see if they’d be willing to take on the case. Bashara said he’s already contacted Detroit attorney David Cripps, and gave him $15,000, which was later returned.

“Mr. Cripps wants six times that amount to defend me,” Bashara said. “I don’t have the money he wants. The prosecution, through the state, has taken all my resources. I had the resources; the resources were taken from me.”

Assistant Prosecutor Lisa Lindsey pointed out the state confiscates assets to make prisoners pay for their incarceration.

Bashara said he was concerned that Procida’s co-counsel, Rene’ Cooper, is no longer on the case.

“I know Mr. Procida is an accomplished attorney, but I’m finding out Mr. Cooper may not be on my case,” Bashara said. “I know the prosecution has spent several
hundred thousand dollars, even a million dollars.”

“What’s the point?” Evans asked.

“The point is, I don’t have that same luxury,” Bashara said.

Lindsey said her office hasn’t spent a million dollars on the case.

“I wish we had a million dollars,” she said.

Evans ordered all parties to return Jan. 23 to discuss the matter further. She said Procida must provide a schedule showing how he plans to ensure his client will have access to discovery in the case.

Also Thursday, Evans denied Bashara’s request for a computer. Procida had argued his client needed a laptop to go over thousands of pages of discovery related to the trial on first-degree murder charges in connection with the Jan. 24, 2012, slaying of Jane Bashara. There also are more than 100 hours of audio that include jailhouse phone calls made to and by Bashara.

Bashara disclosed he has macular degeneration brought on by diabetes. He said it would be easier to read documents on a computer screen because he could enlarge the text. Prosecutors argued he doesn’t need a computer, and said a magnifying glass would solve the problem.

Among Bashara’s other complaints: “I only have a pencil this big to write with,” he said, holding up his thumb and forefinger about a quarter-inch apart. “If I had a computer, it would help me write, and formulate my thoughts.”

Evans wasn’t swayed, denying Bashara’s request because she said there aren’t enough resources to accommodate him, being that the Wayne County Sheriff’s internet unit has been jettisoned due to budget cuts.

Although Evans advocated for Bashara to have adequate legal representation during Thursday’s hearing, she also admonished him several times.

Once, when he tried to interrupt the proceedings, the judge said, “Mr. Bashara, that’s disruptive.” Another time, Bashara tried to interject, only to be told by the judge: “That’s not your job.” And when he tried to talk to Procida while Lindsey was speaking, Evans said: “That’s rude.”

Bashara is accused of hiring his handyman, Joe Gentz, to kill Jane Bashara. After Gentz pleaded guilty to carrying out the hit at his boss's behest and was handed a 17- to 28-year prison sentence, Bashara tried to hire Steve Tibaudo, owner of Steve's Furniture & Appliance, to kill his former employee. Tibaudo informed police and wore a recording device that captured Bashara talking about the proposed crime.

Although Bashara pleaded guilty to trying to have Gentz killed, he hasn't said why. Prosecutors allege Bashara wanted Gentz silenced so he couldn't finger him for his role in Jane Bashara's slaying.

Bashara, who was given a minimum six-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to solicitation of murder, is incarcerated in the Wayne County Jail as he prepares for his March 3 murder trial.

“We need to move this along,” the judge warned Thursday. “At the rate we’re going, we’re going to try this case in 2016.”

ghunter@detroitnews.com

(313) 222-2134

From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140109/METRO01/301090079

[Darkman]

Former Bashara handyman gets in trouble in prison - over horseshoes

9:31 PM, January 15, 2014

By Gina Damron

Detroit Free Press Staff Writer


Joseph Gentz, who is serving prison time in the killing of a Grosse Pointe Park woman, was accused of threatening behavior and disobeying an order in prison, according to the Michigan Department of Corrections.

Gentz — who has said he killed Jane Bashara at the direction of her husband, Bob Bashara — pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 17-28 years in prison. Bashara, who has maintained his innocence, is charged with first-degree murder in his wife’s death.

According to a misconduct report, Gentz came out of an equipment shed at the Macomb Correctional Facility on Oct. 8 with four horseshoes and said, “I’m taking these back to my room.”

An officer told Gentz to stop and put the horseshoes on the ground, the report says. But, according to the report, Gentz turned and, with the horseshoes in his hand “began talking in a very loud, aggitated [sic]voice that he wanted his i.d.,” which he said kept being taken from him.

The report says the officer again told Gentz to put the horseshoes down, but Gentz did not comply.

The reporting staff member wrote that Gentz was acting erratically and “I did feel in danger for myself & other staff & prisoners around.”

That wasn’t the first time Gentz has been in trouble in prison. According to a misconduct report, in March 2013 he defied an order to go back to his prison cell.

Contact Gina Damron: gdamron@freepress.com


Source: http://www.freep.com/article/20140115/NEWS02/301150158/Gentz-Bashara-horseshoes

[Darkman]

In court, Bob Bashara calls his wife 'wonderful,' marks anniversary of her death

8:10 PM, January 23, 2014

By Elisha Anderson, Detroit Free Press Staff Writer

Grosse Pointe Park businessman Bob Bashara returned to a Detroit courtroom today and brought up his wife, Jane Bashara, on the eve of the two-year anniversary of her death.

“I just want to say, please everyone, don’t forget,” he said. “She was a wonderful gal.”

Back-to-back hearings Thursday before Wayne County Circuit Judge Vonda Evans addressed two issues: a request for the return of property taken during the execution of a search warrant last year at the office of Dean Valente, Bashara’s personal attorney, and whether new attorneys will be assigned to represent Bashara in his murder case.

Evans said her concerns are over the amount of resources needed to represent Bashara, and she’s not sure if the public defender’s office is able to provide them.

“It’s a funding issue,” Evans said, adding she wishes she could give the defender’s office money.

She said she has been given the authority to place two other attorneys on the case at a rate of $125 an hour and plans to consider making the change.

Bashara is charged with first-degree murder in the death of his wife but has maintained his innocence, despite an admission from his former handyman, Joseph Gentz, who said he killed Jane Bashara at her husband’s direction. Gentz later pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. Prosecutors have cited an alternative lifestyle and Bashara’s former mistress as motives in his wife’s death.

He is represented by Mark Procida, whom Evans called a great lawyer with a stellar reputation. Procida is working with Nancy Shell on the case, but a third attorney, René Cooper, is no longer on the case with them. It’s unclear why.

“I feel our office does a very good job,” Procida said. “I feel we can provide Mr. Bashara with an excellent defense.”

The complex case has more than 10,000 pages of documents and 178 potential witnesses. Assistant Wayne County Prosecutor Lisa Lindsey warned it could take six to nine months for a new attorney to get up to speed.

Evans disagreed.

“You have also not lived with the case the way I have lived with the case,” Lindsey responded.

Evans plans to take up the issue of who will represent Bashara again on Feb. 18, the same day she wants to hear more about the search warrant that was executed on Oct. 29 at Valente’s house, which is also where his law office is located.

Police and investigators from the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office appeared with both a subpoena and search warrant, said Henry Scharg, Valente’s attorney.

He said they took three boxes of materials, including attorney files related to properties Bashara owned and Valente was managing or legally involved with, and Scharg wants them returned.

Evans raised her voice today when asking why another judge signed a search warrant, based on information from jail phone calls, in a case she is overseeing and grilled prosecutors about it.

The case has been before her since September, and prosecutors went to Wayne County Circuit Judge Michael Hathaway to get a search warrant signed after that, she said.

Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Mark Hindelang explained that the investigation has been going on for nearly two years and from the beginning of it, investigators went to the same judge, Presiding Judge Timothy Kenny of the Circuit Court’s criminal division. Kenny recused himself, so they then went to his alternate, Hathaway.

“That’s how we wound up there,” Hindelang said.

Niether Kenny nor Hathaway could immediately be reached for comment Thursday.

“If that was a misstep to go to Judge Hathaway, then it was made,” Hindelang said.

Evans said she was working the day the warrant was signed and if a defense attorney would have done it, people would say it’s “forum shopping,” which concerns her.

“If there are any more subpoenas that are going out or search warrants, I must be notified,” she said. “I am responsible for this case.”

Evans plans to conduct an evidentiary hearing in the matter.

Another issue brought up was what materials Bashara can have in jail to help him review court documents in the case and take notes. His attorney wants him to have pens, pads of paper and a magnifying glass after a request for a laptop was denied earlier this month.

Lindsey objected to allowing him to have ink pens, saying they can be turned into weapons. Bashara held up a small pencil that he currently must use and showed the judge.

“That’s inadequate,” Evans said. “That little pencil. It doesn’t even have an eraser on it.”

She ordered Bashara, who had eye surgery on Monday, to get some other type of writing utensil.

Bashara, wearing jail garb, thanked Evans for recognizing the two-year anniversary of his wife’s death before he was escorted out of the courtroom.

His murder trial is to begin March 3.

Contact Elisha Anderson: 313-222-5144 or eanderson@freepress.com

Source: http://www.freep.com/article/20140123/NEWS05/301230058/Bob-Bashara-pretrial-hearing-today

[Darkman]

Bashara judge continues to mull switching his attorneys

Bashara notes two-year anniversary of wife's death

 Bob Bashara at a prior court hearing. Macomb Daily file photo

By Jameson Cook, The Macomb Daily

Posted: 01/23/14, 3:27 PM EST | Updated: 41 mins ago

Bob Bashara ended a court hearing over the slaying of his wife Thursday with a remark about today’s two-year anniversary of her death.

He made the comment shortly after Judge Vonda Evans, commenting about the age of the case, noted the anniversary of Jane Bashara’s murder is “tomorrow.” She died Jan. 24, 2012, and her body was found the next day in her vehicle parked on the east side of Detroit.

“I want to thank the court for recognizing the one year since my wife’s passing,” Bashara said, his voice starting to crach. “Remember, don’t forget, she was a wonderful gal.”

Bashara, 56, is charged with first-degree murder, murder conspiracy and other charges, accused of having Joe Gentz kill Jane, 56, a Mount Clemens native, in the garage of their Grosse Pointe Park home. Gentz, a Macomb County native, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in a deal that he serve 17 to 28 years in prison and testify against Bashara at his March 3 trial, which is expected to be delayed. Bashara is already serving 80 month in prison for trying to have Gentz killed in jail.

At Thursday’s hearing at Wayne County Circuit Court in Detroit, Evans said she is considering whether to replace his public defenders with other attorneys because she is concerned about their resources. She said although Bashara’s attorney are of high quality, she is skeptical about their ability to handle the volume of evidence in the case, which includes more than 10,000 pages of documents.

The attorneys, Mark Procida and Nancy Shell, are staffers at the Wayne County public defender office. She said she could appoint legal firm or attorney group and pay the standard federal rate of $125 per hour, with a total budget of $200,000.

But Assistant Wayne County Prosecutor Lisa Lindsey pointed out that appointing new lawyers could delay the case six to nine months due to the new attorneys having to get “caught up.”

Upon questioning from Evans, Bashara told her he is satisfied with his current representation, although he indicated he talked to an undisclosed attorney about possibly taking the case.

Bashara also in response to an Evans query did not object to a potential violation of his right to a speedy trial, although that was not done formally.

A Feb. 18 hearing was scheduled to address the matter again.

The judge granted Bashara’s request for a magnifying glass, a pad of paper and writing instruments so he can review the documented evidence in the case to assist his attorneys. Bashara revealed that he had eye surgery Monday. Evans ordered that he have pencils in good shape and with erasers. Lindsey said pens are not allowed in the Wayne County Jail.

She also granted the defense the ability to hire an investigator.

The hearing was preceded by a separate but related hearing over documents confiscated Oct. 29 from the Grosse Pointe home office of Bashara’s civil attorney, Dean Valente.

Attorney Henry Scharg, representing Valente, wants prosecutors to return documents that were taken during the search, sought by prosecutors based on three telephone calls Bashara made from jail or prison in March, May and October 2013.

He revealed that some of the documents revolve around two witnesses in the case: Bashara’s mistress, Rachel Gillett, and a former Bashara tenant Timothy Ramsey, who one witness testified that Bashara wanted to have killed after his wife’s death because he talked a lot. Ramsey was evicted from his apartment because the unit was “destroyed,” Scharg said.

The information about Gillett is in regard to her defaulting on a loan she received from Bashara’s mother, Nancy, Scharg said.

Some of the other documents are related to communications between Bashara and Valente “before and after his arrest” regarding Bashara’s various properties, some of which Bashara has tried to keep as a viable asset, Scharg said.

Attorney and former judge Jeanne Stempien has been appointed as “master” to determine which documents should remain privileged and kept under wraps, but Evans said she will make the ultimate decision.

The matter also will be addressed at the Feb. 18 hearing.

The way prosecutors obtained the search warrant angered Evans because they went to Wayne Circuit Judge Michael Hathaway. Hathaway filled in for the presiding criminal judge on the day the warrant was obtained.

Evans scolded prosecutors for not going to her since it is her case. She said she should be ruling on every aspect of the case because the outcome likely will be appealed to a higher court.

About the Author

Read more of Jameson Cook's court coverage on his blog http://courthousedish.blogspot.com/ Reach the author at jamie.cook@macombdaily.com

• Full bio and more articles by Jameson Cook
  

Source: http://www.macombdaily.com/general-news/20140123/bashara-notes-two-year-anniversary-of-wifes-death

[Darkman]

Bob Bashara gets new legal team, judge rules

6:32 PM, February 18, 2014

By Elisha Anderson

Detroit Free Press Staff Writer

Bob Bashara, who is awaiting trial on first-degree murder and other charges in the 2012 death of his wife Jane Bashara, appears before Third Circuit Court Judge Vonda Evans today. Evans removed Bashara's legal team and replaced them with David Cripps, Gabi Silver and another attorney, who hasn't been named. / Mandi Wright/Detroit Free Press

Assistant Wayne County Prosecutor Lisa Lindsey makes her point as Bob Bashara, who is awaiting trial on first-degree murder and other charges in the 2012 death of his wife Jane Bashara, appears before Third Circuit Court Judge Vonda Evans today. / Mandi Wright/Detroit Free Press

A deputy hands Third Circuit Court Judge Vonda Evans a letter from Bob Bashara at Frank Murphy Hall of Justice today. Bashara requested a change in representation, which Evan granted, and is awaiting trial on first-degree murder and other charges in the 2012 death of his wife Jane Bashara. Mandi Wright/Detroit Free Press

Bob Bashara will get the attorney he wanted before— but couldn’t afford— only this time, he won’t be paying.

Wayne County Circuit Court Vonda Evans said today she has decided to remove Bashara’s current legal team and replace them with David Cripps, Gabi Silver and another attorney, who hasn’t been named. She received a one-and-a-half-page letter written by Bashara and gave her decision this afternoon during a hearing in the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice in Detroit.

“At this time, based on the letter, and the desire of Mr. Bashara, I am going to remove the defender’s office,” Evans said.

Evans had been given the authority to place two other attorneys on the case at a rate of $125 an hour, which could add up to about $200,000.

During an earlier court hearing, Bashara told the court he had communicated with Cripps previously, but said “I don’t have the amount of money that he wants to represent me.”

Today, Evans also delayed the trial, originally set for March 3, saying it won’t happen until June, July or August, and Bashara waived his right to a speedy trial.

Assistant Wayne County Prosecutor Lisa Lindsey warned it could be October or November before the case will get to trial with the change of attorneys and previously told the court it could take six to nine months for a new attorney to get up to speed.

Bashara requested that the court allow his legal team to work with the new attorneys for a “smooth transition.”

“They can’t do that,” Evans said. “It’s one or the other.”

She set a new hearing date of March 11 and said she will formally move to make the attorney changes at that time.

Evans has said her concerns are over the amount of resources needed to represent Bashara, and she wasn’t sure if the public defender’s office was able to provide them, calling it a “funding issue.”

Bashara is represented by Mark Procida and Nancy Shell, but a third attorney, René Cooper, is no longer on the case with them.

“I think we would have provided Bob with a fabulous defense,” Procida said after the hearing.

He said his office has already devoted hundreds, if not thousands, of hours of work on the case and said his office was completely capable of handling it.

Bashara’s original desire was to hire Cripps, but the state froze a portion of his assets, he said. Then Bashara didn’t have the money to do so.

When Procida was asked if he ever had a client so “hands on,” he replied responded: “Yes ... when you’re life is at stake, I would hope you’d be hands on.”

He said he wishes “nothing but the best for Bob.”

Cripps, who along with his wife, Silver, are expected to be appointed by Evans, declined comment when reached by the Free Press saying he wanted to wait to have further communication with the court first.

Maria Miller, a spokeswoman for the Wayne County prosecutor’s office, said the ruling will delay the trial.

"The decision to appoint new attorneys at this late date in the proceedings is concerning,” she said.

The complex case has more than 10,000 pages of documents and 178 potential witnesses.

Evans also heard arguments dealing with the request for the return of property taken during the execution of a search warrant on Oct. 29 at the office of Dean Valente, Bashara’s personal attorney where files were taken.

Evans said the materials will be reviewed and any and all files unrelated to the case will be returned.

Bashara is charged with first-degree murder in the death of his wife, Jane Bashara, but has maintained his innocence, despite an admission from his former handyman, Joseph Gentz, who said he killed Jane Bashara at her husband’s direction. Gentz later pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.

Prosecutors have cited an alternative lifestyle and Bashara’s former mistress as motives in his wife’s death.

Contact Elisha Anderson: eanderson@freepress.com

Source: http://www.freep.com/article/20140218/NEWS02/302180087/Bashara-murder-case

[Darkman]

Bob Bashara's new attorneys are here:

http://crippsandsilverlaw.com/

Source: http://crippsandsilverlaw.com/about-us/david-cripps/

Source: http://crippsandsilverlaw.com/about-us/gabi-silver/


David Cripps


Gabi Silver

[Darkman]

"Discovery ID Show

... Just saw on ID that they are doing a "Master Blob" on their show "Scorned Love" on Saturday, 3/1 at 10pm. The preview shows that Jane found out about his lifestyle and he is shown choking her. Dont know how true this is going to be but thought it might entertain all of us.

Also, the reason the judge is doing what she is because she wants no chance of appeal on the reason of incompetent defense. Kind if like what Kwame is doing now, claiming he was not properly represented. She wants this to be an open and closed case, closed tight with him being convicted with no appeal."


Source: http://justice4jane.forumotion.com/t62p200-preliminary-hearing-in-the-bob-bashara-murder-trial#8057

[Darkman]

Bob Bashara's murder trial set for October; new defense attorney appointed

5:53 PM, March 11, 2014

Bob Bashara speaks to attorney David Cripps. (Mandi Wright / Detroit Free Press)


A trial date of Oct. 6 was set Tuesday for Bob Bashara, the Grosse Pointe Park businessman charged with his wife’s murder.

Wayne County Circuit Judge Vonda Evans said during the hearing at the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice that the court plans to call 150 prospective jurors, who will complete questionnaires, and plans to seat 16 jurors.

“Because of the high publicity of this case, the court is going to do jury selection by using juror questionnaires,” Evans said.

She appointed Lillian Diallo to represent Bashara, praising her reputation, and said she planned to appoint David Cripps as well.

But then the attorneys met in chambers with the judge, and Evans returned to the courtroom and said she wasn’t going to enter an order appointing Cripps, adding there may be some type of disclosures forthcoming.

“I’m going to make a decision on April 4 as to how the court wants to proceed,” she said.

Evans, who removed Bashara’s legal team from the defender’s office, citing his wishes, has said she was given the authority to place two attorneys on the case at a rate of $125 per hour, which could add up to about $200,000.

Bashara, who wore green jail garb with a red pocket and had shorter hair than in the past, greeted the judge as the brief hearing got under way.

“Mr. Bashara, good morning,” Evans said.

“Good morning to you,” he replied.

Several other dates were set Tuesday, including a May 28 deadline for pretrial motions, which will be heard at 9 a.m. June 23.

Prosecutors have cited an alternative lifestyle and Bashara’s former mistress as motives in death of his wife, Jane Bashara.


Read more: http://www.freep.com/article/2014031...new-legal-team

[Darkman]

Bob Bashara Trial - Hearing - March 11, 2014

Croaker Queen

Published on Mar 11, 2014

Background: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Jane_Bashara



or watch it on YouTube at the Source:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nh2F3Oh1sRI

[Darkman]

Bashara home on the market once again in Grosse Pointe Park

Posted: 3:43 PM, Mar 10, 2014
Updated: 4:04 PM, Mar 10, 2014




(WXYZ) - The home that belonged to Bob and Jane Bashara has been listed for sale again.

As you can see in the listing , the 2,800-square-foot home is available for $495,000.

In May of 2013, the house sold for $66,352 as a foreclosure.

The listing is a new development in a story that tragically tore apart a family, rocked Grosse Pointe Park, and made national headlines.

Jane Bashara was found strangled in the trunk of her Mercedes in Detroit almost two years ago. About a week after her death, police started calling her husband a person of interest.

Then Joe Gentz came forward. He admitted to killing Jane Bashara in the garage of her home. He told police Bob Bashara paid him to do it.

Gentz is serving an up to 28 year murder sentence.

Bob Bashara is now awaiting trial on charges connected to his wife's death.


Source: http://www.wxyz.com/news/bashara-home-on-the-market-once-again-in-grosse-pointe-park

[Darkman]

Evans on Tuesday appointed attorney David Cripps of Detroit-based Cripps & Silver firm, and Lillian F. Diallo, also based in Detroit. Cripps' partner, Gabi Silver, is rounding out the three-attorney team.


http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2014/03/bob_bashara_murder_trial_set_f.html

[Darkman]

Evans on Tuesday appointed attorney David Cripps of Detroit-based Cripps & Silver firm, and Lillian F. Diallo, also based in Detroit. Cripps' partner, Gabi Silver, is rounding out the three-attorney team.


http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2014/03/bob_bashara_murder_trial_set_f.html

Lillian F. Diallo



Source: http://www.avvo.com/attorneys/48226-mi-lillian-diallo-737826.html

[Darkman]

Seated at the defense table in Wayne County Circuit Court in Detroit on Tuesday are Bob Bashara, from left, Gabi Silver, Lillian Diallo and David Cripps. Macomb Daily -- Jameson Cook

Source: http://www.macombdaily.com/general-news/20140311/newly-appointed-bashara-defense-attorney-may-be-removed

By Jameson Cook, The Macomb Daily

Posted: 03/11/14, 3:29 PM EDT | Updated: 3 days ago


In a strange turn of events, the judge in the Bob Bashara murder case rescinded her appointment of a defense attorney and order for an October trial.

Judge Vonda Evans withdrew her appointment of attorney David Cripps that she made last month and scheduled an April 4 hearing to address an apparent, undisclosed issue regarding his potential representation of Bashara.

Cripps declined to comment outside the courtroom after the hearing in Wayne County Circuit Court in Detroit.

Evans also took back a scheduling order that included an Oct. 6 trial date and several other dates for attorneys to file and argue motions, and for prospective jurors to report to the courthouse for Bashara’s trial.

In addition, the judge Tuesday scheduled for that same date, April 4, a hearing regarding the second raid of the home of an associate of Bashara last Oct. 29.

The raids were conducted in the investigation of Bashara, 56, who is accused of having Joe Gentz kill his wife, Mount Clemens native Jane Bashara, 56, in the garage of the couple’s Grosse Pointe Park home in January 2012. Her body was found the day after the slaying in her Mercedes SUV parked in an east-side Detroit alley.

Gentz pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and agreed to testify against Bashara in exchange for a 17-28 year prison term.

Bashara, charged with murder and murder conspiracy for his wife’s death, was convicted by plea of trying to have Gentz killed while in jail and is serving 80 months in prison.

Investigators more than four months ago seized a laptop computer, desktop computer, cell phone and documents from Richard Falcinelli’s Macomb Township home, the same day police also raided the St. Clair Shores office of Dean Valente, Bob Bashara’s civil attorney. Falcinelli, who testified at Bashara’s preliminary examination last September, served as Bashara’s power of attorney since he was incarcerated a year ago.

“There is no insinuation that Mr. Falcinelli is involved in the Jane Bashara homicide or its aftermath,” said one of Falcinelli’s attorneys, Steve Kaplan.

Falcinelli wants his items returned, and Kaplan and co-attorney Lynn Shecter and Wayne County prosecutors were unable to reach an agreement for Falcinelli to receive them.

In a similar matter, the judge Tuesday agreed to return three of four boxes of items seized from Valente’s apartment office on Jefferson Avenue. The lone remaining box will be subject of a March 21 hearing, after which Evans said she will determine within two months which items are subject to attorney-client privilege and/or “work product.”

Regarding the defense team, Evans at the start of the hearing reiterated her prior appointment of Cripps and then also named attorney Lillian Diallo to help represent Bashara. She had also included attorney Gabi Silver, who is Cripps’ wife and legal firm partner, to the case at a hearing last month. But she did not include Silver in the appointment Tuesday, although Silver was in the courtroom.

After meeting behind closed doors with attorneys for nearly 30 minutes, she put Cripps’ appointment on hold and set the hearing date. She said Diallo remains on the case.

That development came after Evans last month removed Mark Procida and Nancy Shell as Bashara’s attorneys, citing concerns about whether the members of the Wayne County public defenders office had enough resources to handle the case that involves more than 10,000 pages of documents as well as CDs and video. A third attorney, Rene Cooper, left the team late last year.

Evans set a budget of $200,000 for the case, at $125 per hour, the federal rate.

Cooper, Silver and Diallo are not in the public defenders office but take court-appointed criminal cases as well as retained cases because they are in private practice.

Evans also rescinded an Oct. 6 trial date and scheduling order that set various deadlines and hearing dates in the case that she had approved a short time before.

She indicated that she planned to have 150 prospective jurors fill out questionnaires, due to the case’s high publicity, before returning to the courthouse for the selection process. She planned to seat a 16-person jury, two more than in the typical case, which would be whittled down to a dozen for deliberations.

[Darkman]

'This is ridiculous,' says Bob Bashara as judge struggles to find attorneys to represent him in murder trial

Gus Burns | fburns@mlive.com

By Khalil AlHajal | kalhajal@mlive.com

on April 04, 2014 at 1:02 PM, updated April 04, 2014 at 1:53 PM


DETROIT, MI -- An attorney who represented former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick in his corruption trial last year made a brief court appearance Friday in the case of Robert Bashara, who is accused of helping his handyman kill his wife Jane Bashara.

Defense attorney James Thomas said he wants nothing further to do with the case, but was asked to appear only on Friday in place of attorneys David Cripps and Gabi Silver, who were previously appointed to represent Bashara.

Thomas asked Wayne County Circuit Judge Vonda Evans to remove Cripps and Silver from the case because of a potential conflict.

Evans agreed.

Thomas after the hearing declined to identify the conflict preventing Cripps and Silver from representing Bashara.

Evans said she's struggled to find lawyers willing to take on Bashara's case.

Bashara was upset by the development.

"Are you alright?" Evans asked the defendant.

"No I’m not alright, your honor. This is ridiculous," Bashara said before his one remaining lawyer Lillian Diallo cut him off, saying it would be alright.

The judge set an April 15 court date to appoint new attorneys.

A trial is scheduled to start in October.

Bashara, of Grosse Pointe Park, is accused of helping his convicted handyman Joseph Gentz to kill Jane Bashara, who was found strangled to death in the backseat of her Mercedes-Benz SUV in a Detroit alley on Jan. 25, 2012.

Bashara is currently serving a sentence of six years and six months in prison for trying to have Gentz killed while he was behind bars awaiting trial for his role in the slaying.

Gentz is serving a prison sentence of 17-28 years after pleading guilty to second-degree murder.

Testimony last year in a five-day preliminary examination that led the case to be sent to trial threw more extraordinary accusations into the mix, including assertions from an alleged mistress that Robert Bashara engaged in sadomasochistic sex activity in an underground space he called "the dungeon.


Source: http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2014/04/this_is_ridiculous_says_bob_ba.html

[Darkman]

With video: Bashara to get another attorney for murder trial

By Jameson Cook, The Macomb Daily

Posted: 04/04/14, 2:03 PM EDT | Updated: 5 hrs ago


An attorney who once was slated to represent Bob Bashara at his murder trial has been removed from the mix, and a new attorney will be appointed.

Criminal defense lawyer David Cripps two months ago was planned to be one of two or three attorneys who will represent Bashara, who is accused of murdering his wife, Jane.

But attorney James Thomas, replacing Cripps in court today, told the judge that Cripps could not represent Bashara due to a “potential conflict of interest” that he did not disclose.

Wayne County Judge Vonda Evans agreed it would be in the “best interest of Mr. Bashara as well as the attorneys” for Cripps to not represent him and said she will interview prospective attorneys next week in search for a replacement.

Bashara, when asked by the judge if he was “all right,” replied, “No I’m not all right your honor. This is ridiculous.”

Bashara was cut off by his lone attorney, Lillian Diallo, who told the judge, “We’ll fix it judge. We’ll make it better.”

Evans scheduled an April 15 hearing at Wayne Circuit Court in Detroit at which she will appoint a new attorney.

The development comes after the prior attorneys, Mark Procida and Nancy Shell, were removed in February because Evans didn’t believe they had the resources to handle the case because they are part of the county public defender office. The case has an extremely large amount of evidence, the judge has said. Cripps and his wife, attorney Gabi Silver, who also was a potential defense-team member, as well as Diallo are not members of the public defenders office but take court-appointed cases.

Evans named Diallo to the team last month when she also was expected to add Cripps and Silver but backed off that move.

Evans said she was concerned that the court-appointment list at the courthouse lacks attorneys who handle “capital cases” then indicated she will interview prospective attorneys.

Evans has indicated she would provide a $200,000 budget for a new defense team.

The presence of Thomas, who represented imprisoned former Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, drew speculation among courtroom observers that he could be selected to represent Bashara.

Thomas declined comment after the hearing.

Bashara, 56, is charged with first-degree murder and several other charges for the January 2012 strangulation of his wife, Mount Clemens-native Jane Bashara, 56, in the garage of their Grosse Pointe Park home. Her body was found the next morning in her Mercedes SUV parked in an alley near Seven Mile and Hayes roads.

Bashara associate, former St. Clair Shores resident Joe Gentz, admitted he killed Jane Bashara at Bob Bashara’s bequest and pleaded guilty to second-degree murder on the promise he would testify against Bashara. In exchange, he received a sentence of 17-28 years.

Bashara is already serving a minimum of 80 months in prison for seeking to have Gentz killed while incarcerated.

Evans at a prior hearing set an Oct. 6 trial date.

Also at the hearing, Henry Scharg, attorney for Bashara’s civil attorney, Dean Valente, and Wayne County prosecutors said they reached a deal regarding a box of about 50 pages of documents that were seized Oct. 29 by law enforcement during a raid of Valente’s office in St. Clair Shores.

Scharg said he agreed to withdraw objections to authorities keeping the documents; the only stipulation is for the redaction of any notes handwritten on the documents.

Valente previously received back two boxes of documents that were among those reviewed by a “special master” attorney appointed by Evans.

And in a similar matter, attorneys are attempting to work out a deal for Richard Falcinelli of Macomb Township to receive back items seized from his home the same day. Investigators more than five months ago seized a laptop computer, desktop computer, camera, cell phone and documents from his home.

Falcinelli, who testified at Bashara’s preliminary examination in September, had been given power of attorney by Bashara to maintain Bashara’s business and personal matters outside jail.

Falcinelli’s attorney, Lynn Shecter, said he needs some of the material in order to file Bashara’s taxes. “It’s been five months, your honor,” Shecter said.

Evans scheduled an April 30 hearing at which attorneys said they hope to have a resolution.


Source: http://www.macombdaily.com/general-news/20140404/with-video-bashara-to-get-another-attorney-for-murder-trial

[Darkman]

Bashara struggling to find second lawyer to take case

Judge Evans says lawyers don't want case

Published On: Apr 04 2014 05:34:37 PM EDT



DETROIT -  Bob Bashara was back in front of a Wayne County judge Friday, continuing his fight to get a second court-appointed attorney on his defense team for his upcoming murder trial. But instead of settling on the issue, there's now a worry that there isn't another lawyer that will take the case.

When Bashara entered the court room, judge Vonda Evans noticed him trying to adjust his chair.

"Be careful now Mr. Bashara, we don't want you to get injured," Evans told him.

Meanwhile, Evans is struggling to figure out which lawyers will defend Bashara, who is accused of hiring a hit man to murder his wife, Jane.

Two of the latest candidates sent another lawyer, Jim Thomas, to represent them. He said they have a potential conflict of interest.

"I'm asking the court to go forward and to consider someone else other than them," Thomas said.

Evans said other lawyers don't want to take the case. She will interview more lawyers, and tells Bashara he will know his legal team by April 15.

Evans also took up a complaint by the man acting as Bashara's power of attorney, Richard Falcinelli. In October, police carried out a search warrant at his home, looking for documents related to Bashara. But Falcinelli says they won't give his own material back.

"They've had my stuff for five months," Falcinelli said. "It takes less than a day to a day and a half to dump an entire computer."

Prosecutors said they haven't finished analyzing the computer. Falcinelli says they also have his cell phone and other documents and that Bashara's entire family is hurting.

"His kids, just because they're grown, what kind of life are they going through right now," Falcinelli said.

Bashara already has one lawyer, but he's going to need at least one more or maybe two more, and they have to go through at least 10,000 pages of material.


Source: http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/bashara-struggling-to-find-second-lawyer-to-take-case/25329464

[Darkman]

Judge still looking for attorney to take Bashara defense case in murder trial

8:16 PM, April 4, 2014


Bob Bashara greets his attorney, Lillian Diallo, in the courtroom of Wayne County Circuit Judge Vonda Evans on Friday. Evans said she will choose a second attorney for Bashara. / Regina H. Boone/Detroit Free Press


Read more: http://www.freep.com/article/20140404/NEWS01/304040077/Bob-Bashara-attorney-court-hearing-Jane-Bashara

[Darkman]

Bashara defense team finally set with McCarthy appointment
 
By Jameson Cook, The Macomb Daily

Posted: 04/15/14, 11:40 AM EDT | Updated: on 04/15/2014

A veteran attorney with a long Oakland County background will join an experienced Detroit-based attorney to represent Bob Bashara at his trial later this year.

Michael J. McCarthy, based in Redford Township, was named to Bashara’s defense team Tuesday in Wayne County Circuit Court in Detroit, partnering with Lillian Diallo, who was named several weeks ago.

Judge Vonda Evans selected McCarthy after she said she was going to interview prospective attorneys last week.

“Mr. McCarthy has been a lawyer for over 30 years,” she told Bashara in court. “He’s done a lot of high-profile cases, more or less in Oakland County. You will be very satisfied with his representation as I know you have been with Miss Dialo’s. I want you to know he is more than capable and more than willing to take your case.”

Diallo said after the hearing that she “loves” McCarthy.

“He’s a very accomplished criminal defense attorney,” she said.

She said they will be able to work well together. He has a Detroit office, too, she said.

McCarthy represented Mitchell Young, who last year was convicted of murder as an accomplice to co-defendant Tucker Cipriano in the death of Cipriano’s father, Robert, at the Cipriano home in Farmington Hills, and severe injuries to Cipriano’s mother and brother.

A handful of other attorneys who were assigned or nearly assigned to the case have been removed. The court also has dealt with legal issues regarding last fall’s seizure of potential documented evidence from the homes or offices of two Bashara associates.

Evans said legal representation and other matters have been resolved, and the case will progress.

“We’re going to move forward with this matter as expeditiously as we can,” she said. “We’ve been sidelined with too many issues, and that is over. We are now going to trial. This is the blueprint, and we will not deviate from it.”

She set a schedule that set several motion hearing dates and maintained an Oct. 6 trial for Bashara, who is accused of having his wife, Jane, 56, a Mount Clemens native, killed in the garage of their Grosse Pointe Park home in January 2012. Her body was found in her SUV parked in an east-side Detroit alley.

Bashara, 56, already is serving 80 months in prison for trying to have the murder, Joe Gentz, killed while behind bars in June 2012.

Gentz, formerly of St. Clair Shores, said he killed Jane Bashara at her husband’s bequest. Gentz pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and is serving 17 to 28 years in prison.


Source: http://www.macombdaily.com/general-news/20140415/bashara-defense-team-finally-set-with-mccarthy-appointment

[Darkman]

Michael J. McCarthy
 
Attorney

 Michael J. McCarthy was admitted to the State Bar of Michigan in 1979. He has been engaged in the general practice of law ever since. The main focus of his practice has always been criminal defense at both the trial and appellate levels. He has tried many felony cases in the circuit courts of Southeastern Michigan and in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. He has appeared before the Michigan Supreme Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit on numerous occasions. He appears regularly before the Michigan Court of Appeals. He is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court.

Mr. McCarthy received his undergraduate degree, with honor, from Michigan State University in 1975 and his law degree from the University of Detroit School of Law, now University of Detroit/Mercy, in 1979. He is a sustaining member of the Oakland County Bar Association and the Criminal Defense Attorneys of Michigan. In June of 2012 he received the Oakland County Bar Association’s Professionalism Award.

In 2010 Mr. McCarthy served as a coauthor of the chapter entitled Posttrial Motions and Appeals in Michigan Criminal Procedure published by the Institute for Continuing Legal Education. He has presented lectures for the Oakland County Bar Association’s Criminal Law Committee on many topics for the purposes of training new lawyers and for the continuing legal education of established criminal law practitioners.

Associations/ Affilications

• State Bar of Michigan since 1979
  
• United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan since 1979
  
• Oakland County Bar Association since 1980
  
• United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit since 1986
  
• Criminal Defense Attorneys of Michigan since 2001
  
• Wayne County Criminal Defense Bar Association since 2010
  
• Highly Experienced Criminal Trial Level and Appellate Level Representation
  

Source: http://michaeljmccarthypc.com/

[Darkman]

 Eric D. Lawrence ‏@endangeredlaw Apr 15
Bob Bashara gets a new attorney: Michael McCarthy of Redford Township. Trial still set for Oct. 6 (2014). pic.twitter.com/ImDo6MHtTQ

[Darkman]

Bob Bashara gets another defense attorney in murder case

1:58 PM, April 15, 2014

By Eric D. Lawrence, Detroit Free Press Staff Writer


During a hearing today in Wayne County Circuit Court, judge Vonda Evans discusses the schedule for the trial of Robert Bashara, which is planned for Oct. 6. Evans also appointed attorney Michael McCarthy, left, as part of Bashara's defense team. / Eric D. Lawrence/Detroit Free Press

The Grosse Pointe Park businessman accused of hiring a handyman to kill his wife has another attorney.

During a hearing today, Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Vonda Evans appointed attorney Michael McCarthy of Redford Township to represent Robert Bashara. McCarthy and attorney Lillian Diallo of Detroit will make up Bashara’s defense team as he prepares for his trial, which is scheduled for Oct. 6. The appointment of McCarthy may put an end to a revolving door of defense attorneys in the case.

Evans noted that McCarthy was the defense attorney for Mitchell Young, a codefendant in the Tucker Cipriano murder case in Oakand County. Young is serving life in prison in the notorious baseball bat attack that left Cipriano’s adoptive father, Robert Cipriano, dead in 2012. Cipriano is also serving a life sentence in the case.

Evans said she expects to seat 16 people on the jury out of a pool of 150 potential jurors to avoid a need to start over if there are issues during the trial.

“We have had a lot of adjournments and it’s time for us to proceed expeditiously,” she said, as she set key dates for the trial and its preparation. “We have been sidelined with too many issues and that is over. We are now going to trial so this is the blueprint, and we will not deviate from it.”

Evans put Bashara and the attorneys on notice that “there has been enough stalling in this matter.”

“I agree with you, your honor. I’m ready to move forward,” Bashara replied.

Bashara, who has maintained his innocence, is accused of hiring his handyman, Joseph Gentz, to kill his wife, Jane Bashara, in January 2012. Bashara, who faces first-degree murder charges in his wife’s killing, previously was convicted of trying to hire someone to kill Gentz.

Contact Eric D. Lawrence: elawrence@freepress.com



Source: http://www.freep.com/article/20140415/NEWS01/304150076/1001/news

[Darkman]

A new woman in Bob Bashara's life?



Published On: Apr 17 2014 11:38:41 PM EDT   Updated On: Apr 18 2014 12:13:41 AM EDT

The Local 4 Defenders learn who she is and the relationship may surprise you.

Her name is Katie Koppin

Her twitter page: https://twitter.com/ShortCakesSheep (@ShortCakesSheep / #shortcakessheep ) | Her blog: http://katiekoppin.wordpress.com/





Source: http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/investigations/A-new-woman-in-Bob-Bashara-s-life/25544424

[Darkman]

The Labyrinth: Jane's Walk GP is welcoming donations!

Hello, Kevin M O'Connor here, I am a member of the committee that is building this Labyrinth. It will be on the lawn of my church, St Michael's Episcopal of Grosse Pointe Woods, MI. 48236

While it will be physically located on our property,it is for the entire community of the 5 Grosse Pointes,and anyone who comes to the area,seeking peace and contemplation.

It is named for a late member of our church,who died tragically.

It represents solace and sanctuary.

It represents redemption and moral victory.

Please feel free to donate whatever amount you can.

Thanks

https://e-giving.org/start.asp?id=2101

Click on pics to expand to FULL size:

Posted 1 week ago by Kevin O'Connor

Source: http://nivekronnoco.blogspot.com/2014/05/the-labyrinth-janes-walk-gp-is.html

[Darkman]

Bob Bashara's visitor:

Jim Schaefer: A few minutes with ... a young prison chaplain

April 20, 2014  

Katie Koppin of Southfield is a volunteer prison chaplain at Huron Valley Women's Facility in Ypsilanti. 'I've never experienced Jesus Christ more than I have in the prisons,' she said. / Jessica J. Trevino/Detroit Free Press

By Jim Schaefer

Detroit Free Press

Growing up, Katie Koppin had a family member who was in and out of prison. Koppin didn’t really talk about it, because she feared what people would say.

Today, maybe because of that experience, Koppin, 28, of Southfield is a prison chaplain. She visits inmates, using her own time and money, just because she thinks that is what she should do. She spends most of her time writing and visiting the female inmates at Huron Valley Women’s Facility in Ypsilanti.


Read more: http://www.freep.com/article/20140420/COL44/304200049/prison-chaplain-visitation

[Darkman]

 Katie Koppin‏@ShortCakesSheep Apr 26
Gordon is proud of his wings! Can he get a s/o? @DetroitRedWings @Datsyuk13 #Detroit #redwings #shihtzu #biggestfan pic.twitter.com/tGEOf5PGCu

[Darkman]

Bob Bashara's visitor:

[Darkman]

Attorney Michael McCarthy added to Bob Bashara's defense team

Grosse Pointe Park man set to go to trial in October on murder charge in wife's death

Author: Mia Balbin-Cuesta, Local 4, ClickOnDetroit.com writer, MCuesta@wdiv.com

Published On: Apr 15 2014 04:22:24 AM EDT   Updated On: Apr 15 2014 06:30:52 PM EDT



Read more: http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/robert-bashara-to-get-a-new-legal-team/25486562

[Sponsored content]