His request to be let on bail was denied on Thurs.
Frederick, Md (KM). A defendant charged in a more than 20-year-old homicide in Frederick will not be getting out on bail. In Circuit Court on Thursday morning, a judge denied a request from Lloyd Harris, 53, to be released on bail.
“Lloyd Harris is going to continue to be held without bond pending his trial date,” says State’s Attorney Charlie Smith. “We had argued that the serious nature of the charges and his lack of roots here make him a flight risk.”
The defense said holding Harris in jail would increase his time behind bars to about 600 days before his trial. “And while that’s unfortunate, nevertheless public safely outweighs his right to be outside of the jail. So he is going to be held. He won’t have an opportunity to post bond,” says Smith.
Harris was arrested last year in Kansas City, Missouri, and charged with 1st-degree murder, 1st-degree rape and 3rd-degree sex offense for the slaying of Stacy Lynn Hoffmaster, 15. She was reported missing by her family in October, 1996. She was found deceased in December of that year in a wooded area along East South Street near Interstate 70. Police say she had been strangled.
His trial is scheduled to begin on October 25th, 2017, and continue through November 3rd, according to the Maryland court cases website.
Smith says it will be a challenge trying a case for an incident which happened more than 20-years ago. “Obviously, that has challenges for both sides, quite frankly, the state and defense,” he says. “But, ultimately, evidence comes out over that period of time, and you make a decision at some point in time that you’re going to charge and indict, and we did that. There is no statute of limitations on 1st-degree murder.”
By Kevin McManus