US man in 'cannibal cop' kidnap and rape case is denied bail
Source: Agencies |
January 9, 2013, Wednesday
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A New Jersey man arrested last week on suspicion of conspiring with New York City's so-called "cannibal cop" to kidnap and rape a woman has been denied bail after attorneys battled over whether he intended to commit those crimes or was only role-playing a fantasy.
Assistant US Attorney Randall Jackson and an attorney for 22-year-old Michael Van Hise repeatedly clashed on Monday in an hour-long hearing over their sharply different interpretations of the intent of the suspect.
The prosecutor contends that Van Hise discussed a kidnap-for-rape scheme with police officer Gilberto Valle III, who was charged in October with plotting to kidnap, torture, and eat women. Defense attorneys for both men have said their clients were engaging in fantasy role play.
Magistrate Judge Henry Pitman conceded that the case was "not entirely black and white" but denied bail for Van Hise because the evidence suggested "this was going beyond the realm of fantasy."
Jackson insisted Van Hise was "serious" about an email exchange with Valle in which they discussed kidnapping and raping a woman and haggled over the price of the kidnapping.
Van Hise's attorney Alice Fontier vowed to appeal Pitman's ruling, asserting her client was arrested to prevent him from testifying on Valle's behalf at his trial later this month.
Fontier said that Van Hise had never intended to act on his words, and she said the mechanic and married father of two had cooperated with investigators since he was first approached by the FBI last October.
Valle was dubbed the "cannibal cop" by New York media after prosecutors accused him of writing emails in which he discussed eating his victims.
Valle has been charged with conspiracy to kidnap and accessing a government computer without authorization. He pleaded not guilty and insisted that he, too, was only role playing.
Prosecutors have said that both men put potential victims under surveillance and haggled online about the US$5,000 price of the kidnapping, which Fontier pointed to as evidence of fantasy. "My client has, literally, no money," she said. "This was not a realistic situation."
Another point of contention was Van Hise's own words.
Jackson said that after his arrest last week Van Hise "admitted he had intended to complete the actions" discussed online with Valle.
Jackson said investigators had learned recently that Van Hise had sent photographs of his two young nieces and a stepdaughter to two unnamed suspects online with the message, "These are the three we can rape."
Van Hise wrote, "The three-year old I want to keep for myself as a sex slave."
Authorities were first tipped to the contents of Valle's home computer last fall by his estranged wife. They reported finding a file called "Abducting and Cooking: A Blueprint," with the names and pictures of at least 100 women.
Assistant US Attorney Randall Jackson and an attorney for 22-year-old Michael Van Hise repeatedly clashed on Monday in an hour-long hearing over their sharply different interpretations of the intent of the suspect.
The prosecutor contends that Van Hise discussed a kidnap-for-rape scheme with police officer Gilberto Valle III, who was charged in October with plotting to kidnap, torture, and eat women. Defense attorneys for both men have said their clients were engaging in fantasy role play.
Magistrate Judge Henry Pitman conceded that the case was "not entirely black and white" but denied bail for Van Hise because the evidence suggested "this was going beyond the realm of fantasy."
Jackson insisted Van Hise was "serious" about an email exchange with Valle in which they discussed kidnapping and raping a woman and haggled over the price of the kidnapping.
Van Hise's attorney Alice Fontier vowed to appeal Pitman's ruling, asserting her client was arrested to prevent him from testifying on Valle's behalf at his trial later this month.
Fontier said that Van Hise had never intended to act on his words, and she said the mechanic and married father of two had cooperated with investigators since he was first approached by the FBI last October.
Valle was dubbed the "cannibal cop" by New York media after prosecutors accused him of writing emails in which he discussed eating his victims.
Valle has been charged with conspiracy to kidnap and accessing a government computer without authorization. He pleaded not guilty and insisted that he, too, was only role playing.
Prosecutors have said that both men put potential victims under surveillance and haggled online about the US$5,000 price of the kidnapping, which Fontier pointed to as evidence of fantasy. "My client has, literally, no money," she said. "This was not a realistic situation."
Another point of contention was Van Hise's own words.
Jackson said that after his arrest last week Van Hise "admitted he had intended to complete the actions" discussed online with Valle.
Jackson said investigators had learned recently that Van Hise had sent photographs of his two young nieces and a stepdaughter to two unnamed suspects online with the message, "These are the three we can rape."
Van Hise wrote, "The three-year old I want to keep for myself as a sex slave."
Authorities were first tipped to the contents of Valle's home computer last fall by his estranged wife. They reported finding a file called "Abducting and Cooking: A Blueprint," with the names and pictures of at least 100 women.
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