The following article was posted on www.todaystmj4.com
Mark Benson's Bail Lowered
Posted: Feb. 19, 2009
WAUKESHA - A judge in Waukesha has lowered Mark Benson's bail to a half million dollars. That could lead to Benson getting out of jail soon.
Police say Benson was high on drugs when he smashed into Jennifer Bukosky's Honda last April, killing Bukosky, her unborn child and her daughter Courtney Bella.
Waukesha County Judge J. Mac Davis agreed to reduce Benson's bail from $1 million to $500,000. He said the purpose of bail is to make sure the defendant shows up for his court hearings. The judge thinks half a million is enough to do that.
"We're very disappointed," said Bukosky's mother Judy Jenkins. "We think the community is at risk. There is a safety issue here, a sobriety issue. We think the community would be better served by him remaining in jail."
It is unclear whether Benson's family would be able to post bail.
"I honestly don't know," said Benson's attorney Dean Strang. "I think this new figure is within the realm of reasonable hope for his extended family to post."
Benson faces felony charges of homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle, homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle involving an unborn child, injury by intoxicated use of a vehicle, and misdemeanor charges of operating while intoxicated and causing injury, and operating after revocation of his license, a misdemeanor.
If convicted, he could be sentenced to up to 75 years in prison.
