Dec 7, 2005 4:10 pm US/Pacific
Holly Ashcraft Loses Out On Bid For More Freedom
Baby's Remains Also Released For Proper Burial
LOS ANGELES, Calif. (CBS) ―
Holly Ashcraft, the USC student accused of murder in the death of her newborn son, lost her bid Wednesday for greater freedom in leaving her home while on bail.
Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner Ronald Rose said he may reconsider Ashcraft's request again when she returns to court Jan. 12, at which time a preliminary hearing date is to be set.
In another development Wednesday, Rose allowed release of the baby's remains for proper burial. The remains had been held by the coroner's office so that the defense could complete an independent examination.
Ashcraft , 21, of Billings, Mont., allegedly put the newborn in a box and tossed it in a trash bin near her USC apartment in October. Over the prosecution's objection, Superior Court Commissioner James Bianco lowered her bail from $2 million to $200,000 on Nov. 9 and imposed conditions on her release.
One condition is that Ashcraft not leave her South Bay apartment -- where she lives with her mother -- except to visit her attorneys in Orange County or to see the person supervising her bail. Her whereabouts are traceable by electronic monitoring.
Robert Kasenow, one of Ashcraft's attorney's, asked Rose to modify the home-bound condition to let his client take walks around the block. A letter attached to the motion from Ashcraft's physician said the walks would be good
for the woman's health.
(© 2005 CBS Worldwide Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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