Most of the time, defendants are arraigned – summoned to court to enter a plea – two weeks after charges are filed. Today, 49-year-old Brett A. Forsell of Arbor Heights was arraigned and pleaded not guilty, six days after he was charged with felony stalking in relation to an incident in which he was arrested outside U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal‘s home. A $500,000 arrest warrant was issued when the charge was filed, and Forsell was re-arrested two days later. Today, his lawyer requested that his bail be reduced to $25,000; the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office argued against a bail reduction, but Superior Court Judge Aimee Sutton reduced the bail to $150,000. The KCPAO notes: “However, the judge granted prosecutors’ request for GPS monitoring with victim notification, alcohol monitoring, a stalking protection order and, if the defendant were to post the bail amount, electronic home monitoring.” The court documents from today’s hearing include letters from family and friends vouching for him, as well as information not available previously – that Forsell turned himself in after the charges were filed and warrant issued last week. His only criminal history, the lawyer also noted, is a DUI almost a decade ago. Forsell’s next hearing is in two weeks.
West Seattle, Washington
20 Tuesday
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