State v. Ferguson

LONG, Presiding Judge.

The petitioner, Thaddeus Ferguson, filed this petition for a writ of habeas corpus directing the Honorable L. Bernard Smithart, circuit judge for the Third Judicial Circuit, to lower his bail, which had been set at $500,000. On March 12, 2000, Ferguson was arrested and charged in the district court with murder; bail was set at $500,000. Ferguson moved the district court to reduce his bail. On March 29, 2000, the court denied the motion. On April 12, 2000, Ferguson filed a habeas corpus petition in the circuit court, requesting that that court lower his bail. On May 17,…