Miles Hudson, also known as the “Belltown Hellcat,” was apprehended on Monday due to a $25,000 bench warrant issued by Renton Municipal Court. This arrest further complicates his already intricate legal predicament, which involves charges of stalking, sharing intimate images without consent (revenge porn), and prior instances of reckless driving.
At Monday’s pre-trial hearing, Hudson made a personal appearance, wearing a Nike hood and black puffer jacket. This time, his face was fully visible. His legal team consisted of his lawyer, Sheley Anderson, who attended remotely, and his public defender, Emma Rekart, who was present in person. Judge Seth Niesen, who issued the original conditions of release on July 27, oversaw the proceedings.
One of the main topics of discussion on Monday revolved around the motion filed by Hudson’s public defender regarding the removal of restrictions on Hudson’s social media activities. The motion was denied last week, possibly because of the upcoming hearing.
Last week, the city filed a motion to revoke Hudson’s release, pointing out multiple instances where Hudson allegedly tried to bypass the court’s conditions. Despite the motion being denied, Hudson had to attend the hearing in person on Monday.
The city has requested the forfeiture of Hudson’s previous bail amount of $5,000 and is seeking a “much higher” bail, citing Hudson’s alleged violation of his release conditions. Hudson’s attorney, Rekart, countered the claim by stating that there was insufficient evidence to link the images in question to Hudson’s Instagram account or any other account mentioned in the court’s order. She speculated that a fan could have shared the video because of the case’s widespread attention.
Niesen did not find any conclusive evidence that Hudson’s activities on Instagram were a violation. However, the defense’s assertion that someone else posted the content was dismissed. The Instagram account “not.srt.miles” was identified as a continuation of Hudson’s previous account, while it was found that the “alone.miles” account violated the release conditions. “I understand the process,” Niesen confidently stated.
Niesen, who seemed to be at the end of his rope with Hudson, remarked, “I know how this works … I can’t give you legal advice, but if you come in front of this court for a second violation, it will be very problematic.”
Consequently, Hudson’s bail was forfeited in the domestic violence case, and a revised bail amount of $15,000 was established.
Similar social media restrictions have been imposed on the reckless driving traffic case, just like in Hudson’s domestic violence case. Hudson is prohibited from using Instagram or Twitch, and is also restricted from driving his Dodge Charger on public roads. If anyone else uses Hudson’s Instagram or Twitch accounts or drives his Charger, Niesen warns that Hudson will be held responsible and could face arrest.
During Monday’s hearing, Niesen also mentioned Hudson’s active $25,000 warrant from Renton, leading to Hudson being taken into custody on that warrant.
Anderson has requested a jury trial date for the traffic case, as no agreement could be reached with the city. The trial has been set for October. Rekart requested a 30-day continuance in the domestic violence case, and Niesen granted the request. The upcoming hearing is scheduled for September.