Dasen being held in solitary jail cell
Kalispell businessman Dick Dasen Sr. is being kept segregated from other prisoners in the Flathead County Detention Center.
Dasen was convicted Friday night of six sex-related crimes. From the time of his arrest in February 2004 until a jury said "guilty" on six of the 13 charges against him, Dasen has been free on bond.
Once Dasen was convicted, District Judge Stewart Stadler ordered Dasen to be jailed with no bond. Dasen's attorney, George Best, immediately filed a motion requesting a new bond hearing and asking that Dasen be placed under house arrest.
Prosecutors have 10 days to file a response to Best's motion.
In the interim, Dasen is held in a "medical" cell at the jail.
Why?
"Because there is some talk about him possibly being threatened upstairs [by other prisoners]," Sheriff Jim Dupont said. "It's all hearsay," Dupont said, but authorities have to take it seriously.
There are three medical cells in the jail, he said. The jail population was at about 90 on Tuesday.
If Stadler doesn't set a new bond amount, Dasen could remain in jail until his sentencing in July.
Some court personnel expect Best to file an appeal on Dasen's behalf, although no notice of appeal has been filed yet.
Best has reportedly requested a transcript of the monthlong trial.
Including jury selection, a transcript will probably be about 4,300 pages, court reporter Tom Sapp estimated. It normally costs $3.50 per page for transcripts for appeals, he said.
That would put the cost of a transcript at about $15,000.
Dasen testified during his trial that he is broke. He is accused of spending millions of dollars on sex.
The jury convicted him of four counts of prostitution, sexual abuse of children, and promotion of prostitution. Those offenses carry a total penalty of up to 126 years in prison.
Dasen was cleared of five counts of prostitution, sexual intercourse without consent, and aggravated promotion of prostitution.
Reporter Chery Sabol may be reached at 758-4441 or by e-mail at csabol@dailyinterlake.com