Bond reduction quashed

A motion to reduce Bradley Setzer’s bond to $250,000 was denied by Circuit Court Judge Craig Jones last week.

Setzer is charged with attempted first-degree murder after allegedly attempting to shoot his wife through the front door of the couple’s Green River residence Aug. 25. Setzer appeared at a preliminary hearing Oct. 16 to determine if evidence presented against him supported probable cause and is strong enough to send the case to District Court.

During the hearing, Setzer’s attorney, Gerard Bosch, said he wasn’t aware why Setzer’s bond was set to $900,000 after initially being set at $250,000.

The day after his arrest, Setzer appeared before Circuit Court Judge John Prokos, who set bond to $250,000 based on information available at the time. At Setzer’s initial appearance Aug. 28, more information had developed from the investigation and Deputy Sweetwater County Attorney Teresa Thybo requested Setzer’s bond be set at $1 million. Prokos set bond at $900,000.

Bosch argued the bond should be set at $250,000, saying the actions Setzer is accused of making don’t show a premeditated malice required to accuse someone of first-degree murder or attempted murder. He also claimed the incident was not started by Setzer, but his wife.

Thybo argued that past incidents between Setzer and his wife show malice, saying Setzer broke his wife’s nose during a previous altercation. She said part of his bond stipulations from that incident required him not to possess firearms.

When Green River police officers searched Setzer’s home after his arrest, they discovered 11 handguns and rifles in a gun safe.

Thybo also said Setzer was aiming at his wife’s head when he pulled the trigger.

“If she hadn’t moved, I think we all know what the outcome would have been,” Thybo said.

Jones denied Bosch’s motion to reduce bond.

Bosch also claimed he found inconsistencies in testimony provided by Setzer’s wife, saying he does not know how Setzer hung a hoodie over a decorative glass window at the front door of Setzer’s home and wanted to bring Setzer’s wife to the stand to discuss those inconsistencies. Bosch said the door does not have anything to hang clothing from and does not know how Setzer was supposed to have hung a hoodie from the door and grab a handgun from the upstairs bedroom.

While testifying, Det. Sgt. Rob Fischer from the Green River Police Department said during his two interviews with Setzer’s wife, she remembered more details of the incident during the second interview. Fischer said he spoke with her first while she was at Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County and again after being discharged.

Jones said Bosch didn’t provide enough information to require Setzer’s wife to be brought to the stand and denied his motion.