STAMFORD, CT — A Superior Court judge may hold a hearing Tuesday over whether Fotis Dulos $6 million bond is still valid.
The question is whether an insurance company backing the bond will back it, according to the Hartford Courant.
Dulos the murder suspect in the killing of his estranged wife Jennifer Farber Dulos, was placed under strict house arrest Thursday following a violation in the terms of his release on bond.
Stamford Superior Court Judge Gary White removed the condition that would allow Dulos to leave his Farmington home for business reasons, but will still allow him to leave for meetings with his legal team, medical appointments or religious services.
Fotis Dulos and his attorneys were in court to waive his right to a probable cause hearing in the case, but also to answer a prosecution motion filed Wednesday that he had violated the terms of his release.
State’s Attorney Richard Colangelo said that on Jan. 17, Dulos made an unapproved stop on Jefferson Crossing in Farmington, the road where he lives, to remove items from a memorial to his slain wife.
“He had permission for three stops, and he made a fourth unauthorized stop,” Colangelo told Judge White. “I want it in clear black and white what he can and can’t do.”
Defense attorney Norm Pattis argued that the memorial “is not an ordinary memorial, but is designed as a means of taunting Mr. Dulos.”
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Pattis said the memorial was placed on the street by members of at least one Facebook group dedicated to discussing the case, in which some members have called for flowers and other items to be placed directly on Dulos property.
“Should he have [removed the items], no,” Pattis said. “But the terms of the release and the system did not fail. I think a stern admonishment is enough,” not a modification of the terms of the release.
A clearly annoyed Judge White, however, was not buying Pattis’ argument, saying that Dulos’ action in stopping to remove parts of the memorial was “stupid.”
“This is strike two, for your client,” White said. “A third strike and I’m going to raise the bond, maybe even double it.”
Thursday’s hearing was the second time Fotis Dulos has been back to court concerning the terms of his release on bond. The first was in September when he was chastised by Judge John Blawie for not keeping the batteries of his GPS tracking device properly charged. In June, Dulos also briefly crossed into New York state, which he was not supposed to do, but blamed it on the Waze app giving him wrong directions.
Jennifer Dulos has not been seen since May 24, and prosecutors believe she was murdered by Fotis Dulos with the help of his ex-girlfriend Michelle Troconis and friend and attorney Kent Mawhinney.
Pattis, who said Fotis Dulos “is on edge financially” because of the case, urged Judge White to reconsider and allow his client to travel for work.
“I’m not saying he can’t work, I’m just saying he can’t leave the house,” White said.
In addition to the new modified terms of his release, Fotis Dulos also is not to have any contact with Jennifer’s sister, Melissa Farber, a request made by Colangelo to be added to the protective order against Dulos. He is not to have any contact with his children, their grandmother Gloria Farber, and Troconis, under terms of his release.
Outside of court on Thursday, Pattis said Dulos and the legal team were disappointed by White’s decision, and conceded that “this is a bad day for us.” But Pattis still hopes that the case will be tried in September; Fotis Dulos is due back in court on Feb. 28.
When asked about White referring to his client’s actions with the memorial as stupid, Pattis again said he was disappointed but stopped short of criticizing the judge.