Not Guilty Plea In Case Of Erin Andrews' Alleged Stalker

By Marcus Gilmer in News on Nov 23, 2009 7:20PM

An area man accused of stalking and illegally videotaping ESPN sideline reporter Erin Andrews has pleaded not guilty on one count of interstate stalking. The plea was entered in a federal court in Los Angeles earlier today. The man, insurance executive Michael Barrett, is free on $100,000 bond, an amount that's much higher than the original bond imposed. Barrett was already free on $4,500 bond and U.S. Magistrate Judge Carolyn Turchin was set to raise that to $20,000 but raised it higher after hearing arguments from attorneys in the case. Per the AP:

A stoic Barrett, wearing a navy blue suit, listened during a 20-minute hearing as Turchin set conditions that will allow him to remain on house arrest and placed under electronic monitoring. He can only use his phone to call family and friends. E-mails and texts are prohibited.

Turchin had planned to set bond at $20,000. But Andrews attorney, Marshall Grossman, persuaded her to increase the amount, calling Barrett's alleged behavior calculated, cunning and secretive. Grossman said $20,000 wasn't likely equal to the amount the defendant spent tracking Andrews.

"He was stalking her sexually for a long period of time," Grossman said.

According to the Associated Press report, the case is being heard in Los Angeles because that's where gossip site TMZ is based; Barrett allegedly tried to sell the videos of Andrews in the nude to TMZ.