The three Wahiawa residents accused of the torture and starvation death of Geanna Bradley pleaded not guilty Thursday. Their attorneys complained about excessive media coverage — and they asked for a chance to be released before trial.
Prosecutors have put a lot of disturbing details in the charging documents for Thomas and Brandy Blas and Debra Geron — enough to convince a judge who heard their pleas to reject everything they asked for.
The three appeared together from the Oahu Community Correctional Center cellblock, charged with the slow and torturous murder of 10-year-old Geanna Bradley in their home on Karsten Drive.
After facing heavy media coverage over the shocking case since their arrest, they also asked that cameras no longer be allowed to video their court hearings. Deputy Public Defender Michelle Muraoka criticized the coverage.
“I’ve watched previous reports on the news they are kind of incendiary in nature because of the delicate subject nature of this charge,” she said.
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Judge Ronald Johnson didn’t agree that met the threshold to withhold media access.
“This is an open arraignment – this is a public courtroom … court is not inclined to seal the courtroom,” Johnson ruled.
The defendants also asked for a chance to be released on bail, which has been denied since their arrest.
Defense Attorney Harrison Kiehm is representing Brandy Blas, who along with her husband Thomas Blas, Sr., were legal guardians of Geanna.
He and other attorneys argued there is no evidence they pose any threat to people outside their household.
“Miss Blas is a lifelong resident of Hawaii,” Kiehm argued. “There’s absolutely no serious risk, your honor that she will flee the court’s jurisdiction. Also, Miss Blas has no criminal record, Your Honor. There’s absolutely no serious risk that she will obstruct justice, or that she will engage in illegal activity.”
“These charges appear to be situational in nature,” Muraoka argued for Mr. Blas. “So, the general public in at large, I mean, would not be I don’t think he poses a danger to the general community at large.”
Judge Johnson pointed to the evidence in the case.
“Defendants in this case appeared throughout to act in a premeditated manner, and in unison to inflict harm upon and deny the basic needs of a child,” he said.
The evidence also indicates that the three tried to cover up Geanna’s mistreatment, removing her from school, hiding from social workers and a not letting her speak alone to a psychiatrist treating her ADHD.
Texts and photos were deleted from phones and other children apparently told to said she was fine.
“It is charged and alleged that there has been some hindering,” Johnson said. “That concerns the court that there is a serious risk that they may obstruct or attempt to obstruct justice.”
Johnson denied bail, although he said they can try again with whichever judge is assigned their case. He also pointed out that the possibility of a sentence of life without parole might tempt them to flee.
The judge set trial for April, but that’s pretty unrealistic, given the extensive police work and evidence collected in their case that defense attorneys must go through, and the likelihood that the three defendants may ultimately turn against each other, as is common in child abuse cases.
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