Bond increased for man accused of threatening judge, attorneys

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Ricky Witcher made his first circuit court appearance Thursday after his arrest in connection with making death threats to a judge and two Bentonville attorneys.

Witcher, 54, is charged with threatening judicial officer/juror, a Class B felony and two counts of terroristic threatening in the first degree, a Class D felony.

He was arrested Jan. 10. The arrest stems from statementsa that Witcher made concerning Circuit Judge John Scott, Greg Clark and Seth Bickett.

David Cook, a process server, gave court papers to Witcher at his job in Bella Vista, according to court documents. The court papers were in connection with legal matters in a divorce case. Cook said Witcher became angry with the legal system, according to the aft davit. Witcher was shaking and pacing around the parking lot stating how he hated Scott and if he had a gun he would put a bullet in Scott's head and kill him, Cook said according to court documents.

Clark represented Witcher while Bickett acted as a child ad litem attorney in the divorce case.

Witcher appeared in Circuit Judge Brad Karren's court Thursday morning. Prosecutors had filed a motion to revoke Witcher's bond because he was accused of committing crimes while out on bond on two different criminal cases.

Karren recused from the case. Judge Robin Green, who also handles criminal cases, had also recused from Withcer's case.

Karren said Judge Xollie Duncan had agreed to preside over Witcher's criminal case and the domestic case.

Witcher was brought to Duncan's court on Thursday afternoon.

Elizabeth Castleman, deputy prosecutor, told Duncan that Witcher had previously been arrested in 2013 for terroristic threatening and was free on $2500 bond. Wither was also arrested in 2013 for resisting arrest, harassment and violation of a protection order and he was released on $10,000 bond.

Witcher has been in the Benton County since his Jan. 10 arrest. His bond was set at $250,000 in connection with the latest arrest.

Castleman wanted the judge to set Witcher's bonds at $50,000 each for the prior to cases. She wanted the judge to order Witcher not to possess any guns or consume alcohol or drugs if released on bond. She also wanted Duncan to order Witcher to wear a home monitoring unit or report to a probation officer if released from custody.

Sergio Barron, deputy public defender, told the judge that both his office and the conflict's office had conflicts and neither could represent Witcher. Barron said the Arkansas Public Defenders Commission would assign an attorney to represent Witcher.

Barron asked Duncan to take the bond issue under advisement or allow Witcher's attorney to readdress the issue.

Witcher felt that his bond should be lowered not increased.

"I haven't done anything to be arrested for this time," Witcher said.

Witcher also said it would be unlikely that he would be able to post the bond.

"Two hundred fifty thousand dollars is ridiculous," Witcher said.

Castleman told the judge that prosecutors had filed formal charges in connection with the third case.

"It looks like they are trying to keep me in jail," Witcher said.

Duncan did increase the lower bonds to $50,000 each, but did not touch the $250,000 bond.

Witcher must now post a $350,000 bond in order to get out of the county jail.