January 2016 trial date set for Richmond Hill case
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WISH) – A key suspect in the 2012 south side explosion case will remain behind bars until at least September.
That’s when a judge agreed to hear his motion to reduce his bail amount. Bob Leonard appeared before a judge in Allen County for the first time Wednesday morning.
Bob Leonard is accused, along with his brother Mark, Monserrate Shirley and Gary Thompson of setting the explosion at Richmond Hill in November 2012 that killed Dion and Jennifer Longworth and damaged or destroyed more than 80 homes.
Bob Leonard’s hearing lasted 13 minutes. Judge Frances Gull was scheduled to address potentially up to 16 different motions that have been filed in the case. Rather than address those Wednesday, Judge Gull set aside three days in September for hearing on all those motions, including Bob Leonard’s request to reduce his bail amount. That’s something prosecutors have said they aren’t sure will happen at that point.
“Some defense attorneys use it particularly as it existed under the old statute as a means of finding out what the state’s evidence might be. They were entitled to hear from the state’s witnesses and could get some insight perhaps into what the witnesses would say. But statute has changed in that regard so it’s less useful now in that manner, ” explained Marion County Deputy Prosecutor Denise Robinson.
The one thing that was decided is Bob Leonard’s trial date. It is set for Jan. 19, 2016. It’s not known if Leonard will remain in Allen County or be brought back to Marion County until that September hearing.
24-Hour News 8’s Troy Kehoe will have more on today’s developments from court on 24-Hour News 8 at 5 p.m.
