So, the judge declined to order to what federal prosecutors and defense counsel agreed to. This is certainly spicy.

(Not saying the judge is wrong to do so, just saying it’s rare that a judge overrules what the DOJ is seeking).

What’s concerning to me is the following:

> U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan in Manhattan did not provide reasons for the denial, and said a hearing on bail remains scheduled for Feb. 9.

I think if a judge is going to rule from the bench and decline a stipulated agreement of the parties…the judge ought to be able to give some insight into why. Not just a “nope, because dad said so”.

When I was doing more active practice, on my pro bono domestic violence cases (which was always on the side of the survivor of the violence) I’d always try to kindly request that if the judge was inclined to rule against me on any grant of a restraining order that he put his findings of fact in a written opinion so that it could be preserved for appeal.

That said, this dummy is tampering with witnesses and deserves to be in jail until trial.