JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Accused of murdering his wife 23 years ago and burying her body in the backyard of their home, Michael Haim has been out on bail for the last few months.
His attorneys asked a judge Wednesday to change the conditions of that bail to allow him to leave the state of Florida and live in North Carolina, where his current wife has a home.
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Haim’s attorneys argued that the bail condition is causing a financial hardship on Haim's wife.
The judge denied that motion, saying it is his opinion that the conditions of Haim’s bail were appropriate when they were set and are still appropriate.
That means Haim must now remain in Florida until the end of his trial.
“I find it very hard to believe that an individual of his education and apparently of his special, wonderful character can’t get some job in the entire state of Florida,” prosecutor Jeff Moody said.
Haim's current wife testified Wednesday that she barely has enough money to pay her bills. She also said that Haim can’t find work in Florida, but has multiple opportunities in North Carolina, where he was living with her before his arrest.
“The reality of the situation is, your husband is charged with murder, and there’s a chance he may be going to prison, so you’ll be paying a lot of bills yourself,” Moody said.
Haim was released on $200,000 bail. Under the conditions of his bail, he can’t leave Florida and must appear at every hearing.
Attorney Gene Nichols, who is not affiliated with the case, said the judge denying the motion is not surprising.
He said that the set bond of $200,000 was much lower than the state’s request of $2 million.
“Quite frankly, most, if not all, criminal defendants who get in trouble end up going through financial difficulty. Most people lose their job. Being arrested does have an impact on families. It has an impact across the board, whether you’ve been arrested for trespass or murder,” Nichols said. “Are they going to come to court. Are they a threat to society? That’s why you set a bond. That’s why you set monetary conditions and other conditions to make sure the public is safe and so that person comes back to court.”
Haim’s attorneys told the judge that he is not a flight risk, saying that there is 23 years of evidence, some of it under surveillance, that shows he is not trying to hide.
Haim’s next hearing has been set for April 6. His attorneys said in court that it could take almost two years before the case goes to trial.
Haim and his attorneys had no comment after Wednesday's hearing.