Exorbitant
Bond in Dearborn County, IN – Dan Brewington’s Case
There
is a huge distinction between protecting society, being tough on crime and
bullying one’s own constituents. Using high bonds to keep people in jail longer
has been a topic of discussion in the decision to increase the size of the jail
and in the upcoming judicial race where Alan Miller is challenging Sally
Blankenship for Superior Court II. This is one case of the high bond syndrome.
Dan
Brewington’s Arraignment Hearing March 11, 2012
In
looking at the Arraignment Hearing one needs to consider two documents: the
Order Setting Bail and the transcripts for the hearing. Bail was set at $500,000
surety plus $100,000 cash.
A.
Order Setting Bail
1. The
charges are such that there “exists a threat to community and/or individual
safety”.
2.
“State provided evidence that the Defendant
has a history of not following Court orders and a general disdain for the
authority of the Court and the legal system.
a.
Judge Blankenship puts issues stemming from
the divorce decree in the Order Setting Bail as if there was some criminality
involved. No charges, no police action, and most important no attempt at any
time to alter the parenting schedule where Mr. Brewington cared for his
children as much as 4 nights in certain weeks, were ever made. $600,000 bond.
b.
History of not following Court Orders – Mr.
Kisor gave the example of Brewington posting information from the Grand Jury.
c.
Judge Blankenship quoted about Dan’s mental
health from Dr. Connor’s report. The report that Dan has never been able to get
the case file from, in order to refute anything Dr. Connor had to say. Without
the case file Dr. Connor continues to have absolutely no checks and balances on
his word.
d.
“this is like playing with gas and fire,
and anyone who has seen me with gas and fire know that I am quite the
accomplished pyromaniac” – (This had nothing to do with setting anything on fire.
No evidence, charges, suspicious activity was ever reported. Again, suggesting
what Dan might do.)
e.
“based on these findings and the evidence
presented, the Court finds that the Defendant poses a significant risk to
community safety and is unlikely to follow the conditions of bond as to the no
contact order…
B.
The Arraignment Hearing March 11, 2011.
1.
Perjury, Attempted Obstruction of Justice,
and Releasing Grand Jury Information, are not violent crimes.
2.
The Intimidation charges contained
absolutely no specifics. Two intimidation charges were Misdemeanors and the
Intimidation of the Judge was a felony. It was a felony because he was a Judge,
not because the actions were different. Nothing was presented except for the
indictments as they were written, no examples of intimidation.
3.
Mr. Kisor
a.
Protective Orders were presented for Dr. Ed
Connor and Dr. James D. Humphrey and his family. The Orders listed numerous
things that Brewington was not allowed to do (all things that he had never done
before).
b.
Kisor said high bond would be appropriate.
That Dan was a resident of the state of Ohio, and that “we believe that the
allegations are extremely serious and he is a danger to the community.”
c.
Kisor presented two blogs posted on the
Dearborn County Forum, March 10, 2011 and March 11, 2011 both light postings
from Dan concerning his situation. Dan wrote that if Negangard got a high bond
for him someone would continue to post about his story on his blog and on
facebook under Help Dan Brewington See His Girls.
d.
High
bond would be appropriate because he is a resident of the state of Ohio and we
believe that the allegations are extremely serious and he does present a danger
to the community.
e.
Mr.
Kisor said the State asks that Mr. Brewington not access the internet or if the
court would believe that to be to broad, order that Mr. Brewington cannot blog
about the substance of his version of the case. I have personally reviewed a
blog on the Dearborn County Forum and Mr. Brewington indicates that he will
continue to have someone post his story if he is put in jail, indicating he is
going to continue to write about this case.
f.
Mr. Kisor said the State believes that trying
this case on his blog is detrimental to the state, maybe detrimental to him.
g.
Mr.
Kisor still has a problem with Dan posting about the case. Dan should not be
able to try the case in the public court.
h.
Mr.
Kisor said this is the court where the case needs to be tried, not the public
court.
i.
States
Exhibit 3 Divorce judgment (Even through no criminality was involved at all in
the divorce, it too is being presented as evidence a high bond is needed.)
j.
Exhibit
4 Appeals Court decision affirming the trial court.
k.
Exhibit
5 Letter from Dr. Connor (Sept. 10, 2008) (where Dr. Connor claims to be an
extension of the court, only to be told by Judge Taul on September 16, 2008
that he was not an extension of the court)
l.
Mr.
Kisor said Brewington has disdain for any court or anyone that he sees as the
enemy and he will attack, on his blog, anybody that he disagrees with. I don’t
think this is the proper way for this case to proceed.
m.
Again,
the State requests high bond and that Mr. Brewington not be permitted to use
the internet, blog or discuss this case in any form.
4.
Judge
Blankenship allowed Mr. Robert G. Kelly to speak on Brewington’s behalf with
the understanding by all involved that he was not representing Brewington.
a.
Dan
Brewington is 37 years old, lived in Norwood, Ohio or Milan, Indiana all of his life.
b.
He
has no criminal record, until now.
c.
Only
record now is in this court.
d.
He
has no missed court dates.
e.
He
voluntarily waited for approximately 6 hours to speak to the Grand Jury.
f.
He
voluntarily surrendered to Dearborn County, Indiana after being released on
bond by Hamilton County, Ohio
g.
No
threats of violence on any of these charges have been filed
h.
No
in person contact between Brewington and Judge Humphrey or Judge Humphrey’s
wife at any time other than in a courtroom.
i.
The
only contact with Dr. Connor were visits with Connor for the evaluation.
j.
Regarding the releasing Grand Jury
Information, Brewington
wrote a parody using the dialogue from a Jack Nicholson, Tom Cruise Movie, A
Few Good Men. He did not release any grand jury information.
5.
Mr.
Kisor – repeating the same argument.
a.
The
only concern about the Grand Jury issue would be it was stated explicitly that
he was not to put anything on his blog about the grand jury proceedings, the
only concern about the Grand Jury… is Mr. Brewington does not follow
instructions that need to be followed. That is our big issue here. The postings
show an absolute disdain for the court, for the prosecution which is ok as long
as it does not affect everybody’s right to a fair trial. (Who else is on trial
besides Brewington?)
b.
Mr. Kisor claimed that people who read that
might not know that it was from the movie A Few Good Men. (Maybe that would
work except for the fact that Brewington explained what he was doing at the end
of the blog.)
6.
Judge Blankenship
a.
On February 21, 2011 Dan Brewington wrote a
blog letting people know that Judge Blankenship’s name was being used as an
endorsement on the Midwest Data Site. Her name was removed in the next two
days. This happened before the arraignment hearing.
b.
On March 17, 2011, six days after setting
the $600,000 bond, Judge Blankenship disqualified herself from presiding
because the “alleged victim in the case is the sitting judge of the Dearborn
Circuit Court. To avoid the appearance of bias or prejudice, no judicial
officer in Dearborn County is able to hear this matter.”
7.
Sue
Brewington submitted a public records request for the audio from this hearing
and received the audio with a warning that she might be held in contempt of
court if she shared it with anyone. Sue Brewington placed two public records
requests for the transcript from the arraignment hearing, she was more than
willing to pay for, but she was totally ignored. For this article she has
written a summary of the hearing from the audio. The transcript is being requested by
Brewington’s Indianapolis, Civil Rights attorney and will be posted.
8.
The
following are links to the Order Setting Bail and the Post by Brewington about the
Judicial endorsement.