Lt. William “Billy” White’s family packed a Hartford courtroom Wednesday to secure his $2 million bond with the equity in their homes.
White was charged in an FBI sting and accused of taking tens of thousands of dollars in what he thought was drug money and accepting bribes from bail bondsmen. He was held without bond Tuesday until he could undergo a psychological evaluation, the results of which were not released in open court. But at one point in during Wednesday’s proceedings Judge Magistrate Thomas Smith mentioned White would have to agree to take his medication if he was released.
On Tuesday Assistant US Attorney David Ring said he was concerned that White had expressed suicidal tendencies following his arrest Tuesday.
Click here to read the New Haven Independent’s round-up on White’s arrest. Or keep reading this report from Wednesday by clicking below.
Assistant US Attorney David Ring made a motion to confine White to his home with an electronic monitoring device and curfew, but Smith denied the motion. Smith said judging by the amount of family in the courtroom and the hundreds of thousands of dollars in equity relatives offered to secure his bond “I think he’s going to show up” for court.
Hubert Santos, White’s attorney, said White’s wife would also offer their home on Alston Avenue to secure the bond, but White and his wife recently refinanced it to pay for their children’s education, so there’s little equity in the home.
Smith also denied the motion because White will have to drive to Hartford to visit with Santos. In addition, Smith speculated White may also have to find employment, but later learned that he is not unemployed. White told Smith that he was currently on “paid administrative leave.” Smith said White won’t be able to drive his two children back to Fordham University this week because he will not be allowed to leave Connecticut.
“My husband is a wonderful man whose entire life is devoted to his family,” White’s wife Nancy told the court Wednesday. She said White works so hard and his only recreation is going someplace with his family or watching basketball. “We’re his life and he’s our life,” she said.
Smith explained the Bail Reform Act requires him to take into account the strength of the government case, which “appears to be pretty strong.” He said “you’re probably going to be convicted and incarcerated for some period of time.” But Smith said he also had to take into consideration White’s 39 years of service as a police officer.
At the end of Wednesday’s hearing White’s relatives stayed to secure the bond with the equity in their homes. The probable cause hearing was scheduled for 2 p.m. April 2.