THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, July 1, 1994 TAG: 9407010430
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PERRY PARKS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ELIZABETH CITY LENGTH: Medium: 57 lines
A Virginia man who claims to have amnesia and was arrested a month ago on a grand larceny warrant from Portsmouth remained in custody Thursday after a judge refused to reduce his $1,000 bail.
Michael Ray Haddock, 35, with a Smithfield address, appeared in Pasquotank County District Court for the second time Thursday and asked for a chance to return on his own to Virginia to ``jar'' his memory.
Haddock did not waive extradition procedures, which means North Carolina authorities must wait for a second warrant from Virginia before turning him over, officials said.
The tall, heavy-set man wandered to a Kill Devil Hills fire station in late May and said he could remember nothing about himself.
After news reports aired about Haddock, he was identified by friends and family members. He spent 10 days in Albemarle Hospital before Elizabeth City Police, acting on the Portsmouth warrant, arrested him June 1.
Haddock is charged with stealing a camcorder valued at $200, officials said - an offense they said would be a misdemeanor in North Carolina.
``Right now with my memory lapse, I'm not in a position to defend myself,'' Haddock told Judge Nicholas Long in requesting lower bail. ``At the time I'm able to defend myself I will turn myself in.''
Haddock said he hoped returning to Virginia would help restore his memory. Long told Haddock's court-appointed lawyer, Gary Underhill of Hertford, that Haddock could go back ``any time he wants to waive extradition.''
Underhill said Haddock's sister may post bail for him soon.
North Carolina can hold Haddock for 90 days, officials said. If a warrant ordering his return to Virginia is not produced in that time, he will be released.
Will Jamerson, chief assistant commonwealth's attorney in Portsmouth, said he is still deciding whether the charge against Haddock is serious enough for Virginia officials to come pick him up.
Even if North Carolina authorities let him go, Haddock will still have to face the charge in Portsmouth if he returns, Underhill said.
Haddock has been described as a chef who worked in several restaurants in the Hampton Roads area. He broke off most contact with his family about three years ago after separating from his wife and losing a bitter custody battle, family members have said.
Some who know Haddock had expressed doubts about his amnesia story. But Underhill backed his client after the hearing Thursday.
``I have no reason to disbelieve him,'' said Underhill, who added he had talked with Haddock for several hours. ``I really don't think he would have concocted this story just to try to avoid being sent back to Virginia.''
KEYWORDS: ROBBERIES ARREST AMNESIA by CNB