Pulaski County Circuit Judge Barry Sims set bail at $750,000 for a 24-year-old North Little Rock man accused of inflicting a concussion on his girlfriend and stealing her car before being arrested in Arizona.
Sequoya Kimble's attorney had asked for $5,000 bail, citing the defendant's lack of criminal history and guarantee of a job if he can get out of jail.
Kimble is charged with kidnapping, theft, aggravated assault on a family or household member and misdemeanor domestic battering, charges that together carry a potential life sentence.
Kimble is under court order not to have any contact with the woman, 22-year-old Lauren Deshea Bell. She asked the judge to rescind the order Monday, testifying that she is not afraid of Kimble.
But Sims declined after seeing photographs of her in the hospital. Aside from a concussion, Bell also suffered cuts and heavy bruising -- injuries that were still apparent three days later, according to police testimony.
"On my watch, he's not going to have any contact with the victim," Sims said of Kimble.
Testifying as a defense witness Monday, Bell told the judge that Kimble was her fiance.
But when questioned by Kimble's attorney Pat Aydelott, Bell wasn't sure about the status of their relationship because she hasn't been able to talk to Kimble since he was jailed on Sept. 30, three weeks after his Sept. 9 arrest in Flagstaff, Ariz.
"I haven't been able to talk to him to figure out the future," she said, telling the judge she doesn't know where she will be living, where he will live or what to do with his belongings.
Bell said she wanted the judge to revoke the no-contact order, although she acknowledged that she hasn't always been sure that's what she wanted.
Court records show that Bell had applied for an order of protection against Kimble the day after she reported being attacked, but withdrew the request at a hearing a month later.
At Kimble's first Circuit Court appearance earlier this month, Bell spoke up from the audience to say she had not been kidnapped.
Kimble is being charged under a provision of the kidnapping statute, Arkansas Code 5-11-102, that makes holding someone against their will a crime.
Questioned by deputy prosecutor Meredith Strong, sheriff's investigator Jeff Allison told the judge that Bell said Kimble had restrained her in their bedroom at their home at 709 R&R Circle on Sept. 5 and wouldn't let her leave before beating her up.
She told deputies that they had argued while returning from Heber Springs and that Kimble had thrown her phone out of the car window, Allison told the judge.
Three days later, Bell still had significant bruising and swelling on her face, Allison said.
Bell provided Allison with medical records from her emergency room treatment that showed she had suffered a concussion, along with major swelling and cuts on her face, he testified.
According to a police report, Bell told deputies from her hospital bed that Kimble had gotten mad at her over "not being able to have access" to her cellphone.
She said Kimble pinned her in a corner of the room and started punching her in the face, saying "you're making me do this" before choking her until she was unconscious, the report states.
Bell told deputies that he climbed on top of her, repeatedly hit her with both fists and choked her again.
The report states that she estimated the entire assault lasted about 20 minutes and that she used her computer to contact her mother, who took her to the hospital.
Kimble had beaten her twice before, but never so badly, Bell said. She had never gone to the police before, according to the report.
Records show that Bell had a misdemeanor domestic battering conviction in which Kimble was the victim.
The charge stemmed from her Jan. 11 arrest at 9219 Timber Valley Road in Little Rock. She pleaded no contest in Little Rock District Court and was ordered to complete an anger management program and pay $535 in fines and court costs.
Metro on 11/15/2016