Thursday, October 4, 2012
Bashara murder trial moves forward to Wayne County Circuit Court.
Joe Gentz, the handyman charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in the January strangulation death of Grosse Pointe Park's Jane E. Bashara, waived his right to a preliminary exam this morning, according to a report by Maria Miller, spokeswoman for the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office. In a short proceeding before 36th District Court Chief Judge Kenneth King, Gentz said he understood his rights and waived the preliminary examination. According to the Detroit Free Press, after the hearing Gentz’s attorney, Susan Reed, told reporters that there wasn't a need to hold a preliminary exam and that currently there were no plea negotiations with prosecutors. If convicted, Gentz is facing up to life in prison on both of …
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
A second competency evaluation completed by a private doctor found similar findings to that of the state doctor regarding Joe Gentz, who is charged in the January strangulation death of Jane Bashara.
While Joe Gentz does have some intellectual deficits, none are so severe as to impact his decisions and understanding of the charges he is facing in the January strangulation death of Jane Bashara, according to findings by a second, private forensic psychologist who evaluated him. The findings were released Wednesday afternoon in 36th District Court by Gentz's court-appointed attorney, Susan Reed. The psychologist, Charles R. Clark, found that Gentz does not exhibit signs of bipolar disorder, which had been a diagnosis earlier in his life. Nor does Gentz exhibit signs of psychosis or other psychiatric impairments, according to the findings Reed read in court. Gentz demonstrated behavior and attention during the evaluation that the doctor …
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
The handyman charged in the January strangulation death of Grosse Pointe Park resident Jane E. Bashara will have a competency exam Wednesday before 36th District Court Judge Kenneth J. King.
A second competency hearing for the handyman who worked for Bob Bashara has been rescheduled for Wednesday in 36th District Court before Chief Judge Kenneth J. King. Joseph Gentz had been found competent to stand trial in the murder and conspiracy charges related to the strangulation death of Jane E. Bashara. Gentz's court-appointed attorney, Susan Reed, requested the second competency evaluation by an independent doctor. The hearing was originally scheduled for July 23. Gentz, most recently of Grosse Pointe Park and formerly of St. Clair Shores, has been housed at Dickerson Lockup Facility since his March 2 arrest in Jane Bashara's January homicide.
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Bob Bashara appeared in 36th District Court via video-conference Wednesday for his arraignment for soliciting someone to kill Joe Gentz. He will appear in court again July 24.
Joe Gentz may not have been the only target of Bob Bashara's attempt to contract to kill, according to information presented by Wayne County Deputy Prosecutor Lisa Lindsey Wednesday in 36th District Court. Bob Bashara entered a plea of not guilty during his arraignment, where he appeared via video-conference for a single count of solicitation for murder against Joe Gentz--the man charged with first degree murder in Bashara's wife's death. Jane Bashara, who was strangled to death in January, would have turned 57 Friday. Lindsey argued for a $25 million cash-only bond before Magistrate Charles W. Anderson III, providing a litany of information about the case, including that Rachel Gillett and another unnamed witness may have also been …
