Hearing set in witness intimidation

An 18-year-old Lawrence man, who was arrested Saturday and accused of intimidating a witness, will have a bond hearing later this week.

Lawrence police detectives arrested Jermel Fleming on Saturday on a charge of intimidating a witness, and the arrest came one day after a Douglas County jury convicted Fleming of five counts in connection with a June robbery of a Kansas University student in the 900 block of Tennessee Street.

Lawrence police spokesman Matt Sarna said a report was written and forwarded to the district attorney’s office before the arrest. District Attorney Charles Branson on Monday said he could only say Fleming faced a bond hearing Friday morning.

In court last Friday after the verdict, prosecutors did ask District Judge Sally Pokorny to revoke Fleming’s $75,000 bond based on the severity of the charges he was convicted of, including aggravated robbery and conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery. But Pokorny declined and said Fleming had shown up for all of his court appearances and that he had a supportive family to make sure he abided by his bond conditions.

Pokorny is scheduled to sentence Fleming on Feb. 7 in the robbery case.