Defendant Surrenders in Cross-Burning Case
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A co-defendant who failed to appear in court in the cross-burning case of white supremacist Tom Metzger surrendered Monday, saying he was unable to attend the trial last week because one of his children was hospitalized with measles.
Brad Kelly, 29, turned himself in at 8 a.m. to Superior Court Judge J.D. Smith. The judge had issued a bench warrant on Thursday for the defendant’s arrest. After surrendering, Kelly, who had been free on his own recognizance, was held without bail pending a hearing later Monday.
Kelly is on trial along with Metzger, neo-Nazi party leader Stanley Witek and Erich Schmidt for the Dec. 3, 1983, cross-burning in a predominantly black neighborhood in the Kagel Canyon area.
All four defendants face a maximum possible sentence of three years in state prison if convicted.
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