WEXFORD COUNTY — The Wexford County couple accused of killing Rebecca Park and her unborn baby trying to get the case against them tossed out Tuesday in court.
Park’s biological mother Cortney Bartholomew, along with her husband Bradley, were in court for a probable cause hearing.
Both are charged with Rebecca’s murder.
The 22-year-old went missing back on Nov. 3 at 38 weeks pregnant, and was later discovered on Nov. 25 in the Manistee National Forest not far from where she was last reported being seen.
At that time, Cortney told police Park was last seen getting into an unidentified vehicle at Cortney’s home, but days after her body was discovered, both the Bartholomew’s were arrested.
“At this point, discovery is being held hostage. We have not received one piece of paper, not one. If the government is not prepared to move forward with this case, this case never should have been charged back in December, when it was charged,” an attorney representing Bradley Bartholomew said.
At the start of the hearing, the lawyers for the Bartholomew’s accused the Michigan Attorney General’s Office of withholding evidence, saying they haven’t received anything additional to the probable cause affidavit.
Due to that, they asked the judge to toss the case or at least set bond.
“She’s been incarcerated long past the 30 days that this hearing was adjourned, to allow for the discovery to be turned over,” an attorney for Cortney Bartholomew said.
The prosecutor, who was not with the Attorney General’s Office, pushed back, saying while there may still be evidence being processed, there’s enough to keep Cortney and Bradley behind bars and keep the case going. He had his own requests.
“I would ask for the defendants to remain held without bond. This is a very serious case, very serious allegations. We will be working to get discovery released as soon as possible,” the prosecutor said.
The judge weighed the arguments and set up a show cause hearing for Jan. 30, based on the concerns brought up by the defense, and denied bond for them, for now.
“I do understand the argument the defense is making regarding bond. I also understand the complexities of this case. However, it hasn’t been going on for a month for nothing,” the judge said. “It sounds like there’s information out there that the defense is certainly entitled to. I will make a determination, regarding what we’re going to do with the case, regarding bond after we have the show [cause hearing].”
The courtroom was once again packed with people wanting justice for Park, like her adoptive mom Stephanie Park, who raised Park and two of her siblings.
She said it’s a little frustrating with the delays but she understands.
“I would rather have all of it out there and be all of it there. I don’t want something to be missed. I want it to be all put out there so that she gets the justice she deserves,” Stephanie said.
She was happy to hear that bond was denied and was a little worried when she heard the defense attorney’s requests.
Stephanie said she plans to be there until the end.
“Bradley had to make eye contact with me when he walked in and he knows who I am now,” she said, “He knows that I’m there for everything, and he’s not going to walk away, and she’s not going to walk away without one heck of a fight out of me.”
Sally Yamaoka has been going to every hearing, despite not knowing Park personally.
“She doesn’t have a voice anymore. We are her voice now to get justice for what happened to her,” Yamaoka said.
Kimberly Park, Rebecca’s biological sister, was slated to be in court this Wednesday for her probable cause hearing.
She’s charged with filing a false police report and lying to a police officer. Her court date was postponed until 2 p.m. on Feb. 9.
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