HAMPTON, Va. — Cory Bigsby, the father of missing 4-year-old Hampton boy Codi Bigsby, was denied bond in his latest hearing on April 5.
This is the second time Bigsby's bond was denied. He faces seven child neglect charges unrelated to Codi's disappearance over two months ago.
Bigsby's attorney Jeffrey Ambrose applied for an appeal in February when a judge first denied bond.
Arguments during the hearing lasted about an hour.
Bigsby’s attorney Jeffrey Ambrose told the judge Bigsby should get bond because he is not a flight risk, not a threat to the community, and the Commonwealth’s evidence had “substantial problems."
Ambrose argued that investigators with the Hampton Police Department and FBI mishandled Bigsby’s interrogation. In February, Hampton Police Chief Mark Talbot admitted investigators ignored Bigsby’s requests for a lawyer.
Prior to the hearing, Ambrose said he reviewed more than 70 hours of footage from Bigsby’s time at police headquarters. He said Bigsby asked for a lawyer twice. He also said Bigsby told investigators dozens of times that he was tired, saying things like, “Do whatever you have to do, let me go home. This is torture on top of torture.”
Ambrose said before police arrested Bigsby, he arrived to speak with him. He said police informed him Bigsby hadn’t asked for a lawyer and remained there voluntarily.
Hampton Commonwealth Attorney Anton Bell argued that Bigsby could obstruct justice if granted bond, being the last known person to see his son, Codi.
Bell mentioned Bigsby has two assault and battery charges from 2018 that never led to convictions in court.
At Bigsby’s first bond hearing in February, Bell told the judge Bigsby is a flight risk because he had an AWOL conviction from his time in the Army.
On Tuesday, Bell revealed a military investigation shows Bigsby went AWOL for three weeks. He said Bigsby was supposed to be in Germany but was in the U.S. instead. Bigsby said it was a miscommunication with his command.
Ambrose argued that the argument isn’t strong because the Army gave Bigsby an honorable discharge in 2017.
When it comes to the obstruction accusation, Ambrose said, "It’s been two months since Codi went missing and we have no evidence before this court.”
In the end, the judge denied bond. Ambrose rushed to another hearing across the street but said he didn’t agree with the judge’s decision.
“No absolutely not, we disagree with that assertation,” Ambrose said
A woman at the hearing, identifying herself as Bigsby’s aunt, called the ruling disappointing.
“I raised him, he is innocent, he has done nothing wrong,” she said.
Near the end of the hearing, Bell told the judge more charges are coming Cory Bigsby’s way.
Bigsby is due in court on June 13 for a preliminary hearing.
Codi Bigsby remains missing, but some community members continue their search for the boy.