SAN ANTONIO – Update: Hearing expected to continue on Tuesday, has been reset. A rescheduled date has not been assigned yet.
A bond hearing for James Cotter, a business partner of Brad Simpson—whose wife Suzanne Simpson has been missing since Oct. 7—ended without a decision at the Justice Center on Monday afternoon.
Cotter is facing two felony charges related to the investigation of Suzanne Simpson’s disappearance.
Around a dozen friends of Suzanne Simpson attended the hearing, holding missing person flyers featuring her photograph.
Suzanne Simpson was last seen at her home in Olmos Park on Oct. 7. Her husband, Brad Simpson, is also in custody, facing the same felony charges as Cotter and two misdemeanor charges related to family violence.
Extensive searches, including sweeps of Olmos Park and a landfill in southeast Bexar County, have so far yielded no clues about Suzanne Simpson’s whereabouts.
An arrest affidavit indicates that Brad Simpson asked Cotter to remove and conceal a gun from his home on Oct. 8.
Cotter’s attorney, Robert Maurer, argued for a reduction of Cotter’s $1 million bond, calling it unconstitutional.
“The only reason the state wants these bonds high is to keep him in jail,” Maurer said during the hearing.
Prosecutor Casey Sandoval opposed the bond reduction, stating that Cotter’s actions demonstrated unwavering loyalty to Brad Simpson.
“He has shown he will do whatever he needs to protect him,” Sandoval said, adding, “We are asking the bond stay the same.”
The hearing will resume on Tuesday afternoon when Cotter’s mother is expected to testify regarding his financial situation.
Both the defense and prosecution reserved further comments until a final decision is reached.