Wednesday morning more testimony was set to start in the Michael Colucci murder trial in Berkeley County. But first the judge wanted to make sure the defendant was going to stick around until the verdict is read.
Colucci has been free on $150,000 bond since his murder arrest in 2016. During that time all he had to do was not violate any conditions of the of bond and show up for up for the trial.
Once he showed up to court on Monday the conditions of the bond were satisfied and the bail was released as expected, but Colucci and his attorney Andy Savage weren't ready with an additional bondsman for the trial, which may last for at least another week.
Because of that he was taken into custody inside the courtroom on Tuesday to spend the night in jail until it was sorted out the next morning.
On Wednesday before any witnesses were called and the jury could be seated, Judge Deadra Jefferson heard from prosecutors who are concerned that Colucci could be a flight risk given the jeweler’s affluence and connections. Prosecutors pointed out that, while he hasn’t run yet, the trial adds a new and different urgency.
“This is much more real, this is a different situation,” said Assistant Deputy Attorney General Megan Burchstead.
Jefferson took the prosecution’s concerns into consideration and wanted to know more about how Colucci is going to spend his time while out of court. His attorney Andy Savage, who had a bondsman in the courtroom, said they are staying in close proximity of the courthouse and Colucci’s room is two doors down from his.
Both Savage and Colucci reminded the judge that he did not have a passport.
Savage told the judge Colucci recently had undergone treatment and is in a good frame of mind. Savage also said it is important to have access to his client.
Jefferson decided that Colucci can remain out of jail for the rest of the trial and gave the murder suspect a $50,000 surety bond. The conditions are that he wears electronic monitoring and continues to remain close to Savage at the hotel.
“I’m considering the risk of flight,” Jefferson said. “I don’t have a concern about him being a threat to the community.”
During court on Wednesday investigators who worked the scene following Sara Colucci’s death continued to testify. Also crime scene photos were shown that included images of a lifeless Sara Colucci.
She died back in May of 2015, prosecutors say she was strangled by her husband Michael Colucci. Her official cause of the death is asphyxiation the manner of death remains undetermined. The trial will continue on Thursday.
