A local man accused of stabbing and severely injuring a professional ice skater and instructor has withdrawn a request for bond reduction but has requested a speedy trial.
Ryan T. Halligan, 29, of 3526 Cardinal Court, is accused of attempting to kill Emaly “Emma” Baxter, 34, outside of the Hamilton Center Ice Arena on Oct. 23. He has been charged with attempted murder as a Level 1 felony; aggravated battery as a Level 3 felony; criminal confinement as a Level 3 felony; strangulation as a Level 6 felony; and auto theft as a Level 6 felony, court documents state.
Halligan is also facing two Class A misdemeanor charges — operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person, and interference with the reporting of a crime, court documents state.
In addition to those charges, the prosecutor’s office has also filed a habitual offender enhancement document in the case, seeking to have Halligan sentenced as a habitual offender if found guilty. The document alleges he has accumulated at least two prior unrelated felony convictions. Indiana law allows those convicted as a habitual offender to receive an additional fixed term between six to 20 years for Level 1 through Level 4 felonies or two to six years additional for those convicted of a Level 5 or Level 6 felony, according to Indiana statutes.
On Tuesday, during a court hearing, Halligan decided not to contest his $1.5 million bond, his court-appointed public defender, Benjamin Loheide, said.
Instead, the defendant is requesting a speedy trial that encompasses all cases against him filed in Bartholomew Superior Court 1 Judge James Worton’s court, Loheide said.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic and related precautions has slowed down proceedings in all local courts, it’s unclear at this time whether a speedy trial will be possible. Halligan is scheduled for a change of plea hearing at 10:15 a.m. on April 5; a pre-trial conference at 11 a.m. on April 19, and a tentative jury trial beginning at 8:30 a.m. on May 4.
Court documents allege Halligan attacked Baxter outside the ice area, beating, stabbing and choking her after a car accident in the arena’s parking lot. Investigators say Halligan admitted being under the influence of methamphetamine and heroin in the hours prior to the early morning attack. A probable cause affidavit states Halligan told police he was attempting to kill her.
The Ford Fusion Halligan was driving that was involved in the crash with Baxter’s vehicle had been reported stolen in Indianapolis, according to court documents.
In a separate case, Halligan is accused of forcing his way into an apartment of a female relative earlier in October to attempt a burglary. When the relative tried to defend herself while calling police, Halligan allegedly tried to strangle her, according to a probable cause affidavit. As a result, he’s charged with burglary as a Level 3 felony, a Level 6 felony charge of strangulation and a misdemeanor charge of domestic battery. In a third case, Halligan was arrested in September for unlawful possession of a syringe as a Level 6 felony, as well as a misdemeanor charge of possession of paraphernalia, online court records state.
