Judge increase Edgars' bonds to $1 million

The Kansas City Star/January 21, 2003
By Tony Rizzo

A Johnson County judge today changed an earlier decision and increased to $1 million the bonds for the Kansas City, Kan., church leaders charged with killing their son.

Johnson County District Attorney Paul Morrison brought up the bond issue again during a scheduling hearing for Neil Edgar Sr., Christy Edgar and Chasity Boyd.

They are charged with first-degree felony murder in the Dec. 30 death of Brian Edgar. The 9-year-old died of asphyxiation after being bound and gagged, according to autopsy reports.

Bonds for all three originally were set at $2 million, but at a hearing Friday, District Judge John Bennett lowered bonds for the Edgars to $200,000 each. Boyd has not asked for a bond reduction, and hers remains at $2 million.

Morrison objected to Friday's decision and today asked Bennett to reconsider. Morrison argued that $200,000 was too low for the charges the Edgars face.

Christy Edgar's attorney, Bob Thomas, argued that absent new allegations, there was no reason for the judge to change the bond.

"They should give you some reason to modify," he argued.

Neil Edgar's attorney, Carl Cornwell, was not present today. His associate, Jessica Travis, asked that any decision on bond changes be delayed until he could be in the courtroom.

Bennett did not immediately rule on Morrison's request to raise the bond, but later this afternoon he issued a written order setting bonds for the Edgars at $1 million each.

The order did not explain his reasoning but said it was "upon further consideration of the issues affecting bond."

All three remained in the Johnson County jail.

They are scheduled to be back in court Feb. 6, and a preliminary hearing is expected to be set at that time.