DECATUR - Attorney Mark Bradley's efforts to obtain a lower bond for himself backfired Thursday in court following his arrest Tuesday on allegations he threatened to kill State's Attorney Jack Ahola.

Special Assistant State's Attorney Thomas Griffith asked Associate Judge James Coryell to set bond at $150,000.

Griffith said that while Bradley's verbal threats were made to a third party, Anthony Harris, one of Bradley's clients, took the threats seriously and contacted authorities about them.

Asked by Coryell if he had any comment on the recommended bond, Bradley countered with a proposal for a $10,000 recognizance bond, but not before he made several statements.

Bradley, 56, said Harris had been residing with him until he threw the client out on Sunday, at which time he believed Harris would go to Ahola or authorities bearing tales. He said Harris has two arrest warrants outstanding for him.

Coryell asked Bradley if he knew two warrants were outstanding for Harris while the man resided with him.

"No, judge," Bradley said. "He only had one warrant outstanding while he was living with me."

Failure to tell authorities where Harris was residing at the time of the outstanding warrant for his arrest could be construed as harboring a fugitive, since it was Bradley's abode. No charges have been filed in that regard.

Coryell then increased the suggested bond to $250,000. He said he could not prohibit Bradley from practicing law without an Illinois Supreme Court order and so could not bar him from courtrooms where Ahola was appearing. He did order Bradley to make no effort to speak with the state's attorney outside of courtroom etiquette.

Bradley posted $25,000 cash bail and was released from jail Thursday afternoon.

At the time of his arrest Tuesday, Bradley was free on $10,000 personal recognizance bond following his arrest for allegedly threatening Associate Judge Lisa Holder White on Sept. 18. He was indicted Sept. 24 by the Macon County grand jury on one count of threatening a public official in connection with the White incident.

In a sworn statement filed in court in connection with Bradley's latest arrest, sheriff's detective Jamie Belcher said Bradley has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and received treatment for it, including medications.

Shortly before Bradley resigned April 21 as an assistant state's attorney, he was found unfit for duty because of his mental illness, Belcher said. Bradley admitted then that he had stopped taking his medication for his disorder, Belcher said.

Belcher said Anthony Harris was interviewed Monday at the sheriff's office and stated he and his fiancee, Tonya Flesch, lived at Bradley's home for about three weeks but moved out because of their fear of Bradley.

During their time at Bradley's home, Harris stated, Bradley made numerous threats of physical harm against Ahola, Belcher said. Harris stated that since Bradley's arrest for threatening White, his threats toward Ahola had escalated, he said.

In Harris' words, Bradley had "gone off the deep end," Belcher said. Bradley allegedly stated to Harris that Ahola would not be around for the Nov. 4 election, that Ahola needed to be "taken out," that he knew people who could kill Ahola, that Bradley could run over Ahola while the state's attorney was crossing a street and make it look like an accident and that Bradley could tamper with the gas lines to Ahola's house and make it explode, Belcher said.

On Saturday, a vehicle belonging to Bradley or his wife, Jan, was repossessed, Belcher said. Harris stated that Bradley accused him and Flesch of somehow being involved in the repossession and accused him of being a spy for the state's attorney's office, he said.

Harris also alleged that Bradley made threats against Associate Judge Timothy Steadman, stating someone should trip the judge and cause him to fall down the stairs and break his neck, Belcher said.

Flesch also was interviewed by deputies and stated she had heard Bradley say Ahola needed to be "taken out" and he would do it along with anyone who stood in his way, Belcher said.

Bradley is running as a write-in candidate for state's attorney in the Nov. 4 general election after being removed from the ballot by the Macon County Electoral Board as the Green Party candidate for that post. The board ruled Bradley had been appointed to ballot in violation of state law.

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