Multimillion-dollar bonds for suspects accused of trying to kill Indiana judge
A judge set multimillion-dollar bonds on Wednesday for three men charged with attempted murder in connection with the shooting of an Indiana judge.
Tippecanoe County Judge Steven Meyer and his wife, Kimberly, were wounded in a shooting at their home in Lafayette on Jan. 18.
One of the suspects, Thomas Moss, 43, was supposed to stand trial in Judge Meyer's court on unrelated violent felonies two days after the shooting, court records show.
Prosecutors accused Moss and the two other men, with whom he allegedly shares gang ties, of conspiring to target the judge as part of a "concerted effort to impede the proceedings."
The judge set Moss' bond at $3 million during his initial court appearance on Wednesday. Unable to post it, Moss is being held outside the general jailhouse population. He told the judge he wants to represent himself in the case.
Multimillion-dollar bonds were also set for Raylen Ferguson, who is alleged to have fired the shots through Meyer's door, and Blake Smith, who is accused of buying the gun used in the shooting. Both men requested public defenders.
Two women were also arrested in connection with the shooting.
Amanda Milsap is accused of trying to bribe the alleged victim in Moss' case to prevent the woman from testifying in the trial. Her bond was set at $500,000 on Wednesday. Her attorney told local media that he has "absolutely no information" that Milsap is connected to the alleged plot against the judge.
Zenada Greer, the fifth defendant in the case, was arrested in Kentucky and is awaiting extradition to Indiana on obstruction and assisting a criminal charges.
Because of the nature of the crime, the Indiana Supreme Court has appointed a Cass County judge to oversee the case.
The judge has set a tentative trial date of May 6.
