http://www.omaha.com/article/20110104/NEWS97/701049911#prosecutor-bail-low-in-abuse-casePublished Tuesday January 4, 2011
Photo:
http://www.omaha.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=OW&Date=20110104&Category=NEWS97&ArtNo=701049911&Ref=AR&maxw=490&maxh=275Mitchel Hadan
By Todd Cooper
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER
Even in the demented world of domestic violence, prosecutors say, these were egregious allegations.
Long before she was killed Saturday in what police describe as a murder-attempted suicide by her estranged boyfriend, Rita Eckhout twice accused Mitchel Hadan of terrorizing her — once with a knife and once with a gun.
On March 18, she said, Hadan refused to let her leave her home — breaking a board over her, poking a knife into her lower leg, repeatedly punching her and holding the blade of the knife to her throat and their 3-year-old son's throat.
Photo:
http://www.omaha.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=OW&Date=20110103&Category=NEWS97&ArtNo=701049947&Ref=V1&maxw=600&maxh=400Shooting victim Rita J. Eckhout, 35, of Omaha, and her son, Hunter, as a baby. Hunter is now 3 years old. (This photo taken from her Facebook page.)
On May 20, Eckhout said Hadan repeatedly threatened her and hit her with the butt of a gun. Eckhout said she had to crouch over their toddler son to protect him.
When Hadan was finally picked up months later, Douglas County Judge John Huber set the bail amount for each case at $2,500.
Throw in a burglary charge in Washington County and a theft charge in Douglas County and Hadan had to post a total of $8,000 to get out of jail. He did so within three days.
Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine said the bail amounts were low for a defendant with Hadan's criminal history and history with this woman.
FULL story at link.