Judge Panel Still Mum On Alleged Madam Anna Gristina's Quest For Bail Reduction
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- There was no decision Thursday at a court hearing for accused madam Anna Gristina. The proceedings were a push for compassionate release or lower bond.
The argument was that Gristina needs to be home with a son, who the family said is having medical issues.
Kelvin Gorr, Gristina's husband, has complained his wife's bail -- $2 million bond or $1 million -- is unattainable.
Gorr wants 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 mis-characterizing her son's diagnosis to garner sympathy.
Gristina has been behind bars since February, when she was arrested on charges of running an alleged high-price escort operation for more than a decade.
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.
"We requested that a 5 judge panel reduce Ms. Gristina's bond because we believe that bond was set in this case in a way that violates both New York and federal law," Pattis said. "It seemed as though we had a receptive panel so we await its decision and hope we get Ms. Gristina home soon."
So its back to Rikers for Gristina. The members of the panel are considering her bond reduction, but gave no indication when it will hand down its decision.
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