$5 million bail for fugitive Hsu (is there any Law in CO?)

Denver Post ^ | Thursday September 13, 2007 | Nancy Lofholm

[jiggyboy]

Bail was set today at $5 million for disgraced Democratic donor Yung Yuen "Norman" Hsu.

Mesa County District Attorney Pete Hautzinger asked for a $50 million bond because Hsu had a checkbook that showed a balance of $6 million and because of other allegations that Hsu had bilked investors of more than $40 million in recent years.

Mesa County Judge Bruce Raaum set bail at $5 million after Eric Eliff, Hsu's attorney, argued that Hautzinger's figure was excessive and that his client's illness made him incapable of traveling far. Eliff did not elaborate on the illness.

Last week, Hsu surrendered in San Mateo, Calif., and posted a $2 million bond in connection with a 1992 felony case. He had been convicted of grand theft 15 years ago in a $1 million fraud scheme involving the sale of latex gloves.

Hsu failed to show up for a Sept. 5 court hearing and was arrested the following day in Grand Junction after becoming ill on an Amtrak train while traveling from San Francisco to Denver.

He was discharged from St. Mary's Hospital on Wednesday and booked into Mesa County Jail.

Eliff said that Hsu will not fight extradition to California at a hearing set for Wednesday in Mesa County District Court.

Appearing today via video from the Mesa County Jail, Hsu responded "Yes sir" and "No sir" to questions posed to him by the judge.

Hsu is being held in administrative segregation at the jail, where he is away from other inmates and guards can maintain constant surveillance.

Hsu has contributed more than $600,000 in the past three years to political campaigns and did fundraising for candidates, including U.S. Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton, as well as U.S. Rep. Mark Udall, a candidate for a Senate seat from Colorado.

Those candidates have since given Hsu's contributions to charities.

[jiggyboy]

I'd say the DA needs to check the judge's checking account balance as well, especially for recent deposits.

[tcrlaf]

If you would like to send Hillary!!(tm) a Donation:
Press ONE for Cantonese
2) Mandarin
3) Manchu
4) Jin
5) Min
6) Wu Tang Clan
7) Wang Chung
8) General Tso
9) Espanol

[dynachrome]

5 million yuan in cash is the bail. Let dynachrome hold it in case Hsu dis-appears.

[mountainlyons]

The demorat governor has a reputation of turning loose 98% of the illegals when he was dENVER’S da.

[rawcatslyentist]

>"I'd say the DA needs to check the judge's checking account balance as well, especially for recent deposits."

Need to check his whole extended family, as well as the DAs!

Did someone do unexpectedly well in the cattle futures market????

[mwilli20]

Their thinking was, he bungled his flight to the motherland the first time around; let’s give the poor fellow another chance...

Are they insane, a man who fled from the law twice now, can still qualify for bail???

[Rudder]

Who has Hsu's passport?

Hsu's on first?

[Williams]

Shouldn’t be any bail for a guy who was picked up while fleeing justice, and appears to be using other people’s stolen money as his get out of jail free card, plus a suicide letter. Messed up.

[rod1]

Oh the Denver Post has proof Hillary HAS ALREADY given the money to charity. Let’s see the proof.

I don’t believe it for a minute.

[Glenn]

$5 million is a white collar criminal’s bail and you have a problem with it?

So far as I’ve read, he hasn’t murdered anyone.

[xcamel]

I want to see the checks and wire transfers to the “charities” - oh, and I want to see a list of the charities too...

[jiggyboy]

Eric Eliff, Hsu's attorney, argued that Hautzinger's figure was excessive and that his client's illness made him incapable of traveling far. Eliff did not elaborate on the illness.

How the hell did that exchange go?:

"Your honor, my client's illness makes him incapable of traveling far."
"What is the nature of the illness, counsel?"
"Well, you know, an illness that makes him incapable of traveling far."
"All righty then."

[jiggyboy]

I don’t find the “hook” of your sarcasm.

[rod1]

The fact that he igonored court appoitments twice should take any consideration of bail of the table. It is absolutely ridulous he has a chance to flee yet again.

What kind of judge is that?

[sageb1]

“Hsu is being held in administrative segregation at the jail, where he is away from other inmates and guards can maintain constant surveillance.”

I hope those guards are Republicans.

[Glenn]

I don’t find the “hook” of your sarcasm.

Because there isn't any.

You think justice would not be served if he walks away from 5 million? Jail isn't going to repay those investors and I really don't care that he gave Hillary money -- it's making her look like a fool.

Let him flee to Hong Kong and let the Chinese find a reason to execute him.

[sageb1]

“So far as I’ve read, he hasn’t murdered anyone.”

But he might get murdered.

[TornadoAlley3]

Hsuicide in jail.

[The Forgotten Man]

What I think any person of average intelligence may have as a problem with this is this dirtbag is linked to a major campaign scheme involving some very questionable persons. There should be no bail and his passport should be shredded....

[SampleMan]

I didn’t think a person picked up after fleeing was even offered bail.

Well Hsu is a dead man now. We’ll never see or hear of him again.