A police officer awaiting trial for allegedly raping a woman had his request to go on vacation denied by a federal judge Thursday.
Ronald Pickard, through his attorney George Cannon Jr., requested to go on a cruise to Antigua, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Barbados with his parents from Jan. 16 to 23. Cannon said the trip would be a chance for the family to relieve stress associated with the charges levied against Pickard.
A federal grand jury indicted Pickard and Dean Bates, both police officers, on 16 counts, including the alleged May 10 rape of an adult nightclub dancer, conspiracy, firearms possession, witness-tampering and civil rights violations by assault and intimidation.
Both defendants have been under house arrest while awaiting their Feb. 22 trial. Pickard’s parents are acting as a third party custodian for their son. Despite that, U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Resnick bowed to the protests of U.S. Assistant Attorney St. Clair Theodore, who said the government was still seeking detention for Pickard.
"He’s a danger to the community and a menace to society," Theodore said, adding that a vacation would be showing "contempt" for the seriousness of the charges.
Cannon maintained that Pickard was not a threat to flee, even though the cruise would call on foreign ports.
"It’s an opportunity for the family to have a brief vacation considering the stress and strain," he said.
Resnick said that personally he didn’t think the cruise was a "bad idea." But because of the government’s protests he denied the request.
"I cannot, over the government’s objection, sanction a trip to a foreign country," Resnick said.