Higher Bail Urged for Mother of Defendant in Murder Case

Ventura County prosecutors asked a judge Wednesday to hike Beverlee Sue Merriman’s bail to $2 million, saying the mother of accused killer Justin Merriman has continued to try to intimidate grand jury witnesses who testified against her son.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Ron Bamieh argued at a court hearing that Merriman, 51, of Ventura should be immediately taken into custody and her bail increased.

She has been free on $120,000 bail after pleading not guilty to a conspiracy charge in June.

Bamieh said he has videotape evidence showing the mother talking with her son prior to a no-visit order and discussing “illegal plans� related to key witnesses in her son’s pending murder trial.

“The actions by this defendant are serious,� Bamieh said. “This has to stop. She is a risk to the community. She is a risk to witnesses.�

Defense attorney Richard Hanawalt denied the allegations and asked Ventura County Superior Court Judge Edward Brodie to let his client remain free on the existing bail while the defense prepares a written response.

Hanawalt said the prosecution has taken the videotaped statements “grossly out of context.�

Brodie told Hanawalt that he took the prosecution’s allegations “very seriously.� But he allowed the defense time to respond. He set the case for a hearing on Monday.

Justin Merriman, 26, was indicted by the grand jury in January on charges of murder and rape in the 1992 slaying of Santa Monica College student Katrina Montgomery. Since then, prosecutors allege, the defendant and his mother have engaged in a campaign to threaten grand jury witnesses.

Both Merrimans were indicted on conspiracy charges about four months ago, along with two other women who admitted in court to aiding Justin Merriman in his attempts to harm witnesses.

Justin Merriman is being held without bail at the county’s main jail, and recently a judge ordered his phone and visitation privileges cut off because of concerns that he was continuing to target witnesses.