Bob Bashara appears in court to ask for lower bond

DETROIT (WXYZ) - Bob Bashara and his attorney returned to court Thursday morning and asked a judge to lower his $15 million bond.

His attorney told the judge the bond is so high that it may as well be $1 billion. He argued that Michigan’s constitution requires a bond be reasonable, and declared this bond unconstitutional.

He said a $500,000 bond would be reasonable. He suggested his client surrender his license and passport, be put on GPS tether, and confined to his home.

Prosecutors argued against lowering the bond. They say Bashara’s ties to the community are weakening. 

They say phone calls recorded by the jail prove his relationships with family and friends are weakening, that his properties are at risk of foreclosure, and he is therefore a flight risk.

Bashara’s attorney claimed those phone conversations are being taken out of context, and said Bashara still has the support of his family.

Prosecutors say Bashara has been using a woman he met on a bondage website to deliver messages to witnesses. They say this woman lives out of state and out of state connections make him a flight risk.

Prosecutors also claimed that Bashara retaliated against witnesses, evicting tenants who cooperated with the prosecution.

Judge Bruce Morrow said he would review the evidence and make a decision next Tuesday.

Bashara has been charged with attempting to solicit the murder of his former handyman, Joe Gentz.

Gentz has been charged with murdering Bashara's wife Jane. He has reportedly told police that Bob Bashara forced him to kill Jane Bashara.