Legally blind man denied bail for money laundering conviction

Michael Coye

In late July of 2012, two members of the Coye Family along with two of their employees were convicted of money laundering under the Money Laundering and Terrorism Act. While the employees escaped jail term at sentencing, Melanie Coye and her father, sixty-six year old Michael Coye were sent to jail for three years and slapped with  fines of twenty-five thousand dollars. Michael Coye applied for bail on numerous grounds including one that he is blind.  Today his bail application was denied. The ruling was handed down by Court of Appeal Judge, Samuel Awich after two this afternoon at a special sitting of the Court of Appeal, and he will be providing the parties and the court with his written reasons for bail denial at a later date. Today’s denial for bail is the second application on his behalf. Coye’s attorney, Bryan Neal, told us that he and attorney Arthur Saldivar have provided the court with medical documents to say that Coye is legally blind and that he is suffering from other health complications such as diabetes. Neal pointed out that today’s bail application was based on medical grounds and that an appeal for conviction is pending before the courts. Upon leaving the court room today, Coye had this to say (Quote), “I paid a local attorney to defend me and today he failed to show up hence we had to get Bryan Neal to assist us. It’s a shame what was done to us, but as sick as I am, I will survive.  I have been in prison for nine months now and I have been suffering from diabetes for more than twenty years.” (Unquote) Coye was then driven back to prison.