Judge rejects murder suspect’s request for bond

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The man accused of beating a 19-year-old Seymour woman to death earlier this month had a request of Jackson Circuit Court Judge Richard W. Poynter during his initial court appearance.

Brian Michael Cogdill, 44, of Seymour, who appeared for his initial court appearance via video conference Tuesday afternoon, asked Poynter to set his bond so he could be released on home detention with an ankle monitor, making it easier to speak with his attorney.

Poynter denied that request and said the court did not have to set bond.

“That’s in the Constitution,” he told Cogdill, adding the charges of murder and treason allow the state to deny bond.

Cogdill was arrested Sept. 10 on a murder charge in the death of his fiancee Emma Jean Jamison, who died Sept. 7. He is being held at Jackson County Jail in Brownstown.

Police said Cogdill brutally beat Jamison on the night of Sept. 6. Jamison was found beaten by police called to report of an overdose at the residence the two shared at 6556 N. County Road 760E in Seymour.

She was taken to Schneck Medical Center where she died the next day.

Poynter also recused himself from the case because he knows Cogdill and his family.

That means Senior Judge Stephen Heimann will take over the case, Poynter told the court.

It will be up to Heimann – who retired as Bartholomew Circuit judge in 2016 – to schedule a hearing for the bond request.

Poynter scheduled Cogdill’s jury trial for 8:30 a.m. March 5 in Jackson Circuit Court and a pretrial conference for 9 a.m. Nov. 19.

A plea deadline has not been set, but Poynter entered a preliminary plea of not guilty on Cogdill’s behalf.

Cogdill does not have an attorney, but requested one from the Jackson County Public Defender’s office.

Cogdill quietly responded to Poynter as he was read his rights to trial.

Poynter told him he faced a maximum sentence of 65 years, a minimum of 45 years with an advisory sentence of 55 years if convicted.

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