News 8 AustinYour News NowYour News NowAn Exclusive Service of Time Warner Cable
News 8 Austin


TOP STORIES


HEADLINES


FORT HOOD SHOOTING


LOCAL NEWS


Central Texas


Hays County


• San Marcos


Bastrop County


Bell County


Caldwell County


McLennan County


Willliamson County


YOUR NEWS


WEATHER


SPORTS


HS FOOTBALL


LIVING


NEWS 8 EXPLORES


SPECIAL COVERAGE


COMMUNITY


COMMENTARY


ABOUT US


SEARCH


NEWS8CAST VIDEO




Chemical Toy Fair



Contact News 8 through the IVC.

LOCAL NEWS
SaturdayNovember212009



x58
Judge denies Springsteen's bond reduction request
Updated: 6/22/2009 3:56 PM
By: Catie Beck

Judge Mike Lynch Monday denied a request for bond reduction for Robert Springsteen, meaning he will remain in jail.

Springsteen is a defendant in the Yogurt Shop murders case from 1991 in which four young women were found murdered at a North Austin “I Can’t Believe it’s Not Yogurt” shop.

Robert Springsteen in court on Thursday with his defense lawyer Joe James Sawyer.  
The co-defendant in the case, Michael Scott, is scheduled for trial July 6, and jury selection begins Friday, June 26.

In the findings and conclusions on Springsteen’s bond reduction request Judge Lynch said Scott’s trial is the No. 1 priority.

“A full-blown hearing on Springsteen’s motion would have consumed a great deal of time and resources,” Lynch stated in the document. “Additionally, such a hearing on the eve of the Scott jury selection and trial could hamper both parties in achieving a fair trial in that case.”

Springsteen's attorney said he understands the decision but is anticipating the trial.

"My client is being denied because of the admitted limited scope of the hearing, but we will respect the court's decision and anticipate the upcoming trial as another chance for the truth to be heard," attorney Joe James Sawyer said.

Springsteen's defense felt DNA evidence could be the key to Springsteen's freedom. Evidence that was initially discovered by state prosecutors has now become a weapon used by the defense.

"They thought they were going to get an YSTR result and hammer the point home, but instead they got the truth and they can't handle it," Sawyer said last week at the bond reduction hearing.

More Information
Yogurt Shop Murders
More Information

News 8 offers a comprehensive listing of the Yogurt Shop trial information. Click the link for redirection to the page.

YSTR is a forensic DNA testing method that looks for only male DNA.

It wasn't available when the case first went to trial. During the 2008 testing, the state found an unknown male profile in the evidence from the crime.

 WATCH THE VIDEO
More Information
Springsteen in Court

News 8's Catie Beck explains the reason behind the bond reduction request following Thursday's hearing.



"The result of this hearing is that there is one unknown male donor that we have been searching for since March of 2008," Rosemary Lehmberg, Travis County District Attorney, said Thursday.

The defense would argue there could be more than one unknown. But, the point they wanted to make was that it is unknown. That means it does not match any of the four suspects that were originally charged.

State prosecutors are still looking, but the defense said that the evidence shatters the state's case.

"Their expert and any expert they can buy have to conclude that is true, it was not any one of these four boys," Sawyer said.

State prosecutors argued that the defense used DNA samples that were too small to be certain, and they didn't follow thorough methods by double testing.

This was Springsteen’s third attempt at bail reduction.



Email this Story to a Friend
Printer Friendly Version
Search LOCAL NEWS

Weather Center
morning
11/21/2009
Near 50
daytime
11/21/2009
Mid 60s
evening
11/21/2009
Near 60

Troubled Waters
News 8's Jenna Hiller explored the troubled waters in Central Texas and traveled down the Colorado River in search of information. Click on the links to watch, read and interact.

Part 1: Regional cooperation drying out
Part 2: Texas rice farmer takes on water wars
Part 3: Security of supply saturates perception
Part 4: Bad news travels near and far
Part 5: Bad news travels near and far

Where does your water come from?

Join us on Dec. 1st for the Sons of Anarchy Season Finale Party at Texas Custom Choppers.

For News 8's continuing coverage of the Fort Hood mass shootings visit our Fort Hood Shooting section, watch video from reporters in the field and press conferences with officials, and view our photo galleries: The Day Of The Shootings | The Memorial | The Victims
News 8 Video Cart

Story
Play
Read
Blood Donations
Play Video
Read Story
Build News Cast Empty Cart
Full Instructions Full Instructions
Online Poll

The City of Austin plans to have the Nueces Bike Boulevard opened by late spring. The boulevard would be a multi-use path where car traffic is discouraged. How do you feel about this?
I think this is a great idea, we need more roads like this
I think it needs more public input
I don’t think this is a good idea
Other-Your comments

VoteView Results
Neighborhood Calendar
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
Oct NOVEMBER 2009 Dec
S M T W Th F S
Week Of 11/1/2009-11/7/2009 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Week Of 11/8/2009-11/14/2009 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Week Of 11/15/2009-11/21/2009 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
Week Of 11/22/2009-11/28/2009 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
Week Of 11/29/2009-12/5/2009 29 30





Baby Products





Home | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Contact Information | Site Map | Click for RSS information
Copyright ©2009TWEAN News Channel of Austin, L.P. d.b.a. News 8 Austin

Web production by Tipit


Digital Cable offers the latest in home-viewing entertainment.
Talk as long as you want to anyone in Texas and the United States for one low monthly price.
Time Warner Cable now offers you more choices in High Speed Internet service.
Time Warner Digital Cable offers a wide variety of commercial products designed to accelerate the gr
Video On Demand lets you instantly choose from a wide selection of great movies and award- winning p
Digital Cable channel lineups.
Time Warner Cable of Austin offers 15 HDTV channels on digital cable.
TV listings for your service area.
Take a look at the special offers and promotions available now through Time Warner Cable Austin.
Record two shows at once. Plus fast-forward, rewind, and even pause LIVE TV to get a snack, answer t

On the go? Follow us on Twitter and we'll keep you current.

Connect with your Austin local businesses now.Sponsored Links

Call us today to see how Martin Audiology can help you improve the quality of your life.