INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — The State Attorney’s Office has officially rescinded a plea deal it offered to 19-year-old Kaitlyn Hunt back in July. Hunt, at the time, turned down the plea deal.
The plea deal was presented last week in a written form to secure the record that Hunt had been advised of the deal, State Attorney Bruce Colton said at the time. He explained that if she were convicted, Hunt could have appealed based on not knowing a plea deal had been presented.
Colton said that Hunt had not responded to the written plea deal – though she had turned down the verbally communicated one in July – and that the plea deal had been still on the table, despite allegations that Hunt had violated the terms of her pre-trial release.
The State Attorney’s Office has since decided to rescind its proffered plea deal.
Hunt is expected to be in court Tuesday to face those allegations. Judge Robert Pegg will then decide whether or not Hunt should be sent to jail to await her pending trial.
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Kaitlyn Hunt is expected to return to court on Tuesday, Aug. 20, for a hearing regarding the allegations she violated the terms of her pre-trial release.
Judge Robert Pegg has decided to hold a court hearing at 1 p.m. Tuesday to hear the State Attorney’s Office’s Notice of Violation.
Hunt is accused of having maintained contact with her now-ex-girlfriend, despite the judge’s orders to refrain from contacting the now-15-year-old.
Posted 3:07 p.m. Aug. 15
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Kaitlyn Hunt has been put on notice that she has violated the conditions of pretrial release, according to court documents in a “Notice of violation of conditions of pretrial release.” The document states that she contacted the child victim, sent lewd photos and a video, as well as attempted to tamper with the investigation.
On Feb. 17, 2013 the court ordered Hunt “shall have no contact, directly or indirectly.”
On March 1, according to records, during Hunt’s last day of school at Sebastian River High, Hunt placed an iPod into the child victim’s locker that she later used to communicate with her.
“Over the course of the following months, the defendant (Hunt) used the iPod to contact the child victim almost daily using text messaging and FaceTime,” according to the document.
Hunt “consciously and intentionally” violated the court’s order, stated the document. On or about May 25, Hunt texted the child victim, “I’m out of jail on bond. That’s part of my bond. I’ll sit in jail until trial starts.” Hunt then tells the child victim, “Keep the (expletive) quiet.”
Around May 29, Hunt texted the child victim “If my mom finds out we’re talking I’m blaming it on you,” according to the court document. Contact did not only come in the form of texting. Hunt also sent lewd and lascivious material to the child victim.
The state is in possession of over twenty-five lewd and lascivious photographs and one video Hunt sent to the child victim, according to the document. These photographs and videos are explicit and depict the defendant nude and sometimes engaged in sex acts.
Hunt also coordinated secret meetings with the child victim where the child would leave her home and get picked up by Hunt, according to the document. This violated the court order to stay 500-feet from the victim.
The document also stated that Hunt tampered with the child victim. Hunt attempted to control what the victim would tell the Assistant State Attorney when asked about their meeting and sex acts at the school. The child victim stated under oath to detectives that Hunt instructed her to lie when she testifies at trial.
The document also states that there is evidence of illegal drug use. Hunt used references of “rolling our blunt now,” in text messages to the child victim.
What impact this has on the plea deal offered to Hunt yesterday remains to be seen. Calls to the State Attorney’s Office have been placed.
According to Florida State Statutes, the court may revoke bond without an adversarial hearing on finding probably cause.
“It is apparent from the defendant’s past and present patterns of behavior that (Hunt) does not care that two circuit judges have ordered her to stay away from her victim,” according the written opinion of State Attorney Bruce Colton. “She has covertly contacted her victim thousands of time, had continued intimate contact with her victim, threatened to blame her victim if her own misconduct is discovered, instructed her victim on what to say to the prosecutor, solicited her victim to lie for her, and in general sought to obstruct the judicial process. “
