As he sat in court, the man known as Jose Alvarez looked better-rested than he did in his mugshot, taken in the groggy early morning nearly two weeks ago.
Since his arrest, a federal grand jury has indicted "Alvarez" on charges of false statement in application and use of a passport and aggravated identity theft.
Devoted New Times readers should be familiar with this guy. For more than two decades, he's been the partner of James "the Amazing" Randi, the renowned illusionist/skeptic. In that time, "Alvarez" made a name for himself as a visual and performance artist.
His bond hearing was supposed to be today. His attorney, Susan Dmitrovsy, who was clearly under the weather, asked for a postponement.
Judge Lurana Snow granted it.
"I really need more time with this," Dmitrovsky, her voice heavy with laryngitis, later told the New Times outside the courtroom. "You only get one shot with a bond hearing. We need to adequately prepare, and the courts understand."
She said in order to get him out on bond, she has to show he's not a danger or likely to skip town. "My client is neither," she said.She said proving the first will be easy. It's the latter that'll be a bit more of a challenge, Dmitrovsky said, but she's confident she can pull it off.
"His friends and supporters will not only sign personal surety bonds, but will put up money and their own property," to attest to his character, she said, though she declined to get into specifics on who, what, or how much. "I certainly have enough character letters from around the world."
"Alvarez" has been in custody since September 8. If found guilty on all counts, he faces up to 12 years in prison.
The new date for his bond hearing is October 4 at 10 a.m.
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