One of the alleged victims of attorney John Bell is worried for her safety. A Superior Court of Guam judge released Mr. Bell on bail over the objections of prosecutors, the attorney general’s spokeswoman confirmed with Kandit.
Mr. Bell, the attorney who spent years attacking Sen. Mary Torres, workers compensation administrator Joannalynn Fullerton, and seven seaport workers found innocent of his claims after a report he issued on them nearly ruined them, was arrested July 30, 2021 by Guam police officers. Three of his employees accused him of becoming irate when they arrived at work that morning, then holding them against their will in his home office, threatening their lives, and bashing one of their heads on a table when she reached for her phone to call police.
Prior to that incident, Mr. Bell had taken to social media, posting long and often incoherent rants laced with seemingly veiled threats of violence. One of the rants was against Ms. Torres and her husband, Justice Robert Torres.
The attorney, whose license was suspended following the incident, was initially released with an ankle monitor last year, but was sent back to jail by Judge Maria Cenzon shortly after. She denied his release after he violated several conditions of his probation, including a positive test result for meth.
According to OAG spokeswoman Carlina Charfauros, the court released Mr. Bell last week.
“A plea offer has not been entered with the court and the case remains ongoing,” she confirmed with Kandit.
One of his alleged victims told Kandit, “I’m still in fear from this situation and for the public to not be informed, frustrates me because any information the public can witness on him if he were to violate his probation can be very helpful.”
She confirmed Mr. Bell was released to the custody of his wife, and is allowed to be home and again on an ankle bracelet, which monitors his movements.