Judge Panel Reduces Alleged UES Madam Anna Gristina's Bail
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A panel of judges has reduced the bail for accused madam Anna Gristina to a $250,000 bond or $125,000 cash bail.
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Gristina had been being held in lieu of $1 million bail or $2 million bond.
"After reviewing the entire record... we find the amount of bail set by the trial court was unreasonable and an abuse of discretion," the judges wrote. They made note that Gristina has no criminal record.
The panel said Gristina would have to turn over her passport and wear an electronic monitoring device if she is released.
Gristina has been locked up on Rikers Island for nearly four months. She allegedly operated brothels on East 78th Street and in Upstate Monroe.
This afternoon, Gristina's attorney is expected to file a pretrial motion asking the judge for hearing on whether the DA's office has pursued a "vindictive prosecution," trying to get her to rat out her alleged high-profile Johns, reported CBS 2's John Slattery.
Kelvin Gorr, Gristina's husband, had previously complained his wife's bail -- $2 million bond or $1 million -- was unattainable.
Gorr wanted bail to be lowered so he can get Gristina out of Rikers Island and back home to care for their children, especially their 9-year-old son, who lawyers said suffers from a newly-diagnosed heart murmur, CBS 2's Dave Carlin reported.
Prosecutors said they don't believe all the claims about the boy's health, saying the condition is a functioning murmur with no major symptoms and that the defendant is mischaracterizing her son's diagnosis to garner sympathy.
Bail was set so high because prosecutors believe Gristina has the means to flee and a track record of running away when law enforcement got close.
Her lawyer, Norm Pattis, said Gristina is not Al Capone.
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