Trigger Warning: This article includes discussion of alleged child sexual abuse.
Love & Hip Hop alum Sidney Starr is asking a Georgia judge for a chance to leave jail while her criminal case moves forward. The reality star, who has remained in custody following her Aug. 2 arrest, is now pointing to her personal history and financial circumstances as part of a new court request.
Sidney Starr is asking the court to set a reasonable bond.
According to court documents obtained by TMZ, Starr, whose legal name is Sidney Favors, has asked a Fulton County judge to set bond after remaining in custody since her arrest. Her filing argues that there is no evidence she poses a flight risk and says she has no criminal history.
Starr also cites her ties to Chicago, where she says she has lived her entire life, and her work in the television industry. She is asking for a “reasonable bond,” telling the court that she is indigent and cannot afford more than a “nominal” amount.
The Sidney Starr bond request marks the latest development in a case that began August 2 in Hapeville, Georgia. Police arrested the former Love & Hip Hop: New York cast member after responding to an Embassy Suites hotel regarding an alleged sexual assault involving a minor.
CBS News Atlanta, citing Fulton County jail records, reported that Starr faces charges of sexual battery against a child under 16, aggravated child molestation and sodomy. The Fulton County District Attorney’s Office is handling the prosecution.
Starr has denied the allegations. In a statement released after her arrest, she said she “unequivocally denies” them and intends to defend herself through the legal process. The allegations have not been proven in court.
Additional details from the police report emerged days after the arrest. However, because the case involves a juvenile, Hapeville police have said they will not release additional information about the alleged victim.
As of August 11, Starr remained in jail while awaiting a decision on her bond request. Court records reviewed by Oxygen show that her next hearing is scheduled for August 25.
For now, Starr is asking the judge to weigh her stated lack of criminal history, her ties to Chicago and her financial circumstances when deciding whether to grant bond and, if so, at what amount.
TELL US – DO YOU THINK COURTS SHOULD CONSIDER A DEFENDANT’S FINANCIAL CIRCUMSTANCES WHEN SETTING BOND?
