A.F. James MacArthur in his online radio studio, from which he held an hours-long debate early this month at his North Baltimore home with BPD Lt. Jason Yerg. MacArthur was denied bail for the second time at a Friday hearing held at Baltimore City Circuit Court.

A ‘THREAT TO PUBLIC SAFETY’
 
For the second time in as many weeks, gadfly journalist/ blogger A.F. James MacArthur was denied bail Friday based on allegedly threatening messages against Baltimore City police posted to his Facebook page and Twitter feed in the days and hours leading up to his Dec. 1 arrest.

In his third bail review hearing since being arrested following a five-hour standoff when his Waverly area home was surrounded by a SWAT team and other heavily armed tactical police officers — featuring an on-air ‘debate’ broadcast live on his website BaltimoreSpectator.com — MacArthur was told by Maryland Circuit Court Associate Judge Lynn K. Stewart that his Twitter and Facebook messages caused her to consider him a “threat to public safety” and that, despite his having no record of violence, he was potentially dangerous.

When the 37-year-old cab driver asked for permission to “speak” (address the court), Stewart emphatically responded, “No.”

MacArthur is charged with violation of probation on a 10-year-old gun-possession conviction and with failing to report for an end-of-probation hearing which he says he was never notified about. He is also charged with two counts of illegal firearm possession, which could result in as much as 10 years in prison if he is convicted.

When police tried to serve a warrant on the probation violation charge last summer, they found his listed residence vacant because he had moved.

On Friday it appeared as if Stewart had already made up her mind to deny bail prior to the 8:30 a.m. review, which resulted from MacArthur’s lawyer’s application for a writ of habeas corpus just over a week ago. The judge never asked the prosecutor to speak, and ignored attorney Jill P. Carter’s plea for leniency based on MacArthur’s having never been charged with a violent crime.

“And you call yourself a justice,” MacArthur blurted out as he was led away by sheriff’s deputies at the conclusion of the hearing.

“Thank you all for your support,” he added, directing his appreciation to about 20 individuals who had come to the hearing to support his cause.

His attorney, Carter, who is a Maryland state delegate representing the 41st Legislative District of Baltimore City, asked those in the courtroom who were there because of MacArthur to stand up, in hopes of favorably impressing the judge, but to no avail.

The state is “planning to add more charges,” Carter told news media following the 15-minute hearing, adding that “rarely is any charge resolved on the first court date.”

At MacArthur’s initial bail review he was released on his own recognizance, then immediately re-arrested and denied bail the next day by a different judge. He has been held for the duration at Central Booking, whose current policy is to deny visitors for the first 60 days’ incarceration.

Only Carter has been permitted to see him since he was taken into custody at about 11 p.m. Dec. 1. MacArthur’s next court date is set for the end of the first week of the new year.

Regarding the judge’s decision not to set bond, Carter told reporters:  “No bail is a bad call.”
 
— Alan Z. Forman
 
alforman@voiceofbaltimore.org
 
CHECK OUT VOICE OF BALTIMORE’S RECENT STORIES ON A.F. JAMES MacARTHUR’S STANDOFF WITH CITY POLICE AND SUBSEQUENT ARREST — click here,  here  and  here — AND HEAR VoB’S COMMENTARY ON THE MARC STEINER SHOW ON WEAA-RADIO 88.9-FM  (click here).  ALSO SEE WBFF FOX45-TV’S COVERAGE  (click here).