LAFAYETTE, IN — Thomas Moss, one of four accused conspirators in the Jan. 18 shooting and wounding of Judge Steven Meyer, won a small victory that allows him to use a computer tablet to watch movies or play games while he’s in solitary confinement awaiting trial.
In response to one of Moss’ many motions, Special Judge Lisa Swaim approved this small modification Friday of Moss’ conditions of pretrial detention. The computer, however, must not be connected to the internet.
Swaim also ordered that Moss should have at least one hour a day supervised access to the jail’s law library or tablet with access to law libraries.
Swaim denied all of Moss’ more substantial motions, refusing to approve a change of judge, appoint a special prosecutor or lower his bond, which is set at a $3 million cash bond and a $2 million surety bond.
As for changing the conditions of Moss’ pretrial detentions or lowering his bond, Swaim took note of recent allegations that Moss was calling a woman, Mindi Metzinger, from the jail phone when he was allowed only to call his attorneys. Moss was attempting to use Metzinger as a liaison to pass along letters to his co-defendants — Raylen Ferguson, Nevaeh Bell and Blake Smith, according to prosecutors. Moss’ letters were instructions on how the alleged co-conspirators should handle their legal defenses in their mutual cases, according to prosecutors.
Moss faces additional charges of perjury and three counts of obstruction of justice. Metzinger, who had an initial hearing on Monday, was charged with three counts of obstruction of justice and one count of assisting a criminal.
“Because allegedly the defendant does not appear willing to follow the court’s prior order in this matter and may have attempted to influence witness testimony in both underlying cases while in ‘lockdown’ in the Tippecanoe County Jail, it follows that a reduction in bond conditions is not warranted nor advisable at this time,” Swaim wrote in her order denying Moss’ modification of his pretrial detention restrictions.
Accused of shooting the judge and his wife, Kim Meyer, as well as the plot to kill a witness, Moss, along with Ferguson, Bell, and Smith, all face three charges of conspiracy to commit murder, two charges of attempted murder, along with various charges of battery. They also face various sentence-enhancing charges.
Moss, who prosecutors say is a member of an outlaw motorcycle gang and the Vice Lords, conspired with Ferguson, Bell and Smith to kill a witness against him in his 2024 case, according to court documents. When those plans failed and Moss’ 2024 case was heading to trial on Jan. 20, prosecutors say Moss conspired with the others to kill the presiding judge and his wife at their south-side home.
Moss also is accused of trying to obstruct justice by manipulating his ex-wife, Amanda Milsap, into bribing the witness in the 2024 case not to testify against him, according to prosecutors. When that failed, the four conspired to kill the witness, court documents say.
Milsap was convicted in the spring of obstruction of justice and attempted bribery. She is appealing her case.
Swaim denied Moss’ motion for a change of judge, citing that the motion was filed too late to be considered. Swaim also noted that Moss failed to show any rational examples of bias or prejudice on her behalf.
Moss’ request for a special prosecutor also fell short of the defense’s burden of proof.
“(T)he factual assertions by defendant that allegedly justified the appointment of a special prosecutor do not rise to the level of an actual conflict,” Swaim wrote.
Reach Ron Wilkins at rwilkins@jconline.com. Follow on Twitter: @RonWilkins2.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Defendant in judge shooting OK’d to use jail tablet but loses other motions
Reporting by Ron Wilkins, Lafayette Journal & Courier / Lafayette Journal & Courier
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By Ron Wilkins, Lafayette Journal & Courier | USA TODAY Network
