$30M bail set for California kidnap suspect Phillip Garrido | ABC7 San Francisco

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By ABC7

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

PLACERVILLE, CA

No bail has been set yet for /*Nancy Garrido*/, who used her hair to hide her face from cameras Monday. Bail for her husband Phillip was set at $30 million. Both are charged with 29 felonies in relation to the 1991 kidnapping of then 11-year-old /*Jaycee Dugard*/, and holding her captive for 18 years in their hidden backyard compound.

Prosecutors claim in a court filing that the Garridos used a stun gun to subdue Dugard when they kidnapped her. Investigators say Phillip Garrido later fathered two daughters with the victim.

"The seriousness of the charges is a factor the court must consider, the injuries to the victim, and of course most importantly, the issue of flight," said Judge Douglas Phimister.

The convicted sex offender, who was on lifetime parole before his recent arrest, now has a newly-grown beard and a bandage on his nose where sources say he had a cluster of moles removed. His $30 million bail is really unnecessary because in the unlikely event he could make it, he is still on federal hold for an alleged parole violation in connection with the Dugard kidnapping.

The judge granted the 58-year-old a psychological evaluation which legal analysts say could only mean one thing, a possible insanity defense.

Former Santa Clara prosecutor Steven Clark told ABC7 Monday, "Garrido's attorney needs that psychological evaluation to decide whether they're going to go with a mental health defense in this case."

Nancy Garrido's attorney will later decide if a similar exam is necessary, which could open the door for a defense centering on being a domestic violence victim. In the meantime, District Attorney Vern Pierson expects Dugard to take the witness stand against her accused kidnappers.

"Ultimately, the witness would have to come into court to testify when the case goes to trial," he said.

In a surprising twist, Oprah Winfrey became part of the courtroom discussion because of a London Mirror report that the talk show was paying Jaycee Dugard $1 million for an interview. A spokeswoman with the Oprah Winfrey show put the rumor to rest Monday, saying the talk show host is interested in talking to Dugard but has not booked her yet. She added that the show does not pay for interviews.

The Garridos are scheduled to return to court next month to hear the results of the psychological evaluation.

Jaycee Dugard Trust Fund
Checks only to:
Jaycee Dugard Trust Fund
c/o Viewtech Financial Services
P.O. Box 596
Atwood, CA 92811

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$30M bail set for Dugard kidnap suspect