No reduced bond for Raymond Moss
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[A motion by Raymond Moss for lower bond was denied; several other motions were taken under advisement.
Moss, 46, 724 Beggs Place, Harrisburg, is charged with a single county of aggravated criminal sexual assault in connection with an incident that took place Oct. 15. He was indicted by the grand jury on Nov. 16 after having been charged through a bill of information. Moss remains held at the Saline County Detention Center on $1 million bond.
Moss, partially through his attorney Lowell Tison and partially on his own, argued the bond exceeds that for defendants facing similar charges - or more severe charges.
Todd Fort faces 11 charges of sexual misconduct and his bond initially was $250,000; and Richard Turner II faces a murder charge and Class X felonies and has $1 million bond. Tison cited other cases as well.
Local resident Vickie Mason testified she would not have a problem if Moss were released on lower bond.
Assistant State's Attorney Eva Walker asked Mason if she is aware Moss has been convicted of violent crimes and has been charged with sexual assault before.
"Are you aware he is accused of assaulting several women in the past?" Walker asked.
Mason said she is aware there have been accusations.
Moss, who took the stand in the bond hearing. testified he has never been convicted of a sex crime and never failed to appear for a court hearing in the past.
"I've been charged; I've never been convicted," Moss said. "I think it took the jury 15 minutes to render a verdict" acquitting Moss in a sexual assault case dating to 1988 or 1989.
Walker asked Moss if he is aware of a police report filed this year stating he sexually assaulted a woman. No charges have been filed in connection with that report.
Moss denied the existence of the police report.
Moss said whether or not his criminal history is violent depends upon what is characterized as a violent crime. Walker noted he was last in prison for reckless homicide in connection with the car-crash death of the Hurd Brothers in 2002.
"I did five years for a crime I didn't commit, yes," Moss said.
Judge Todd Lambert denied the motion to reduce bond, saying the offense is violent and Moss' extensive criminal past suggests a need to protect the community.
"You suffer from the history of your past," Lambert said.
Tison also contended the defense wants part of the blood sample and material from the "rape kit" performed at Harrisburg Medical Center preserved so experts hired by the defense can test the samples. Moss said he wants to compare what is in the rape kit with a DNA profile from the woman who states she was attacked by Moss. The defense also wants to determine the level of intoxication of the woman.
Moss also wants to have an expert examine the evidence to determine if another person had intercourse with the woman around the same time. The defense may contend the intercourse between Moss and the woman was consensual and the bruises around her neck came from somewhere else.
Lambert ordered Tison to amend his motion to say who they want to hire and what it will cost.
Moss will be arraigned on the charges 11 a.m. Jan. 13.