September 7, 2006
BY EILLEEN KELLEY | ENQUIRER
STAFF WRITER
BATAVIA – The foster
parents accused of leaving Marcus Fiesel bound in a closet where
he died entered written pleas of not guilty this morning.
Liz and Dave Carroll Jr., wore
orange jail jump suits with their hands cuffed in front of them
as they appeared briefly in court today, one day after a
Clermont County grand jury indicted the couple on murder
charges. Prosecutors say they are seeking life sentences.
Neither Liz nor Dave Carroll
spoke during their brief appearance. Both are expected to be
granted public defenders.
Clermont County Common Pleas
Court Judge Jerry McBride set bond at $10.1 million each, the
same bond they received in Hamilton County last week.
The Union Township couple was transferred from the Hamilton
County Justice Center to the Clermont County Jail before today's
arraignment.
Liz Carroll is slated to have a
pre-trial hearing on Sept. 13. Dave Carroll Jr.’s pre-trial
hearing is scheduled for Sept. 22.
The indictment came 10 days after the couple was arrested for
the death of 3-year-old Marcus. Prosecutors say the couple and
their live-in girlfriend, Amy Baker, wrapped the boy in a
blanket, bound him with strapping tape and then went off to a
family reunion in Grant County, Ky. on the weekend of Aug. 4. By
the time the arrived home, Marcus was dead.
Baker later turned on the couple and was key in the arrests and
indictments, officials have said.
Baker also told officials that she and Dave Carroll Jr. took
Marcus’ body to an abandoned chimney in Brown County and burned
the body to try to destroy the remains.
Ashes – and possibly the remains of Marcus -- were removed from
the chimney Aug. 28.
Dr. O’dell Owens, the Hamilton County Coroner, is expected to
release findings of the ashes at a press conference at noon
today.
Return to Enquirer.com or Cincinnati.com for more
developments in this case.
E-mail
ekelley@enquirer.com
