Bond reduced for murder suspect's girlfriend, Jennifer Earnest

(Originally posted Thursday afternoon)

[October 29, 2009]  Jennifer Earnest of Armington appeared in Logan County Circuit Court today at 10:25 a.m. Earnest, represented by Lincoln attorney Jim Grimaldi, pleaded not guilty to a charge of obstruction of justice in the Gee family homicide. Earnest had been charged with producing a false alibi for Christopher Harris when questioned by authorities shortly after the slain family was found in their Beason home.

Earnest has been in the Logan County Safety Complex jail since her arrest on Oct. 7. Her original bail had been set at $50,000, which Grimaldi said was excessive and beyond the means of Earnest to post.

In an affidavit of assets and liabilities, Grimaldi showed the court that Earnest has little assets. Judge Thomas Harris stipulated Earnest as being "indigent" and eligible for a public defender.

Grimaldi also used the document as part of his request to have bail reduced.

Citing that his client had a clean record, without even a speeding ticket, he also pointed out to the court that Earnest's charge in providing a false alibi for Chris Harris was a crime against the state and not an individual. He said that he did not expect any further charges to be leveled against his client. On behalf of the prosecution, Jonathan Wright said that was correct.

Grimaldi pointed out four previous Logan County cases where similar charges were involved that had either $5,000 bond or $10,000 bond requirements.

In a separate but related issue, Grimaldi produced a "Waiver of Extradition" signed by Earnest to show that she would comply with court-ordered requests for trial if she was able to make bail.

Grimaldi said that Earnest, if allowed to be bonded out, intended to go back to Florida and live with her mother, Sara Duncan. Duncan, also charged with obstruction of justice in the case, was allowed by the court to post $5,000 bond and return to her Sarasota, Fla., home last week.

The motion to allow a bail reduction was met by a "no opinion" from Wright, assistant state's attorney for Logan County.

The judge then ruled that Earnest's bond be lowered to $10,000, 10 percent applies, and that she be allowed to live with her mother in Florida.

After the hearing, Grimaldi was asked when this lowered bond would allow his client to be released from jail. He said he was not sure when or if Earnest would post bail, as she will need the $1,000 bond amount to come from an outside source.

Grimaldi was also asked about a statement he made in court last week when he asked for a continuance of the bond reduction hearing due to new evidence. He stated that he was under the rules of attorney-client privilege and could not discuss the matter.

Earnest's next scheduled court appearance is Dec. 3 at 1:30 p.m.

[LDN]