Marilyn Nieves/iStockBy MEREDITH DELISO, ABC News
(KENOSHA, Wisc.) — Jacob Blake, the Wisconsin man who was shot seven times in the back by a Kenosha police officer, appeared in court Friday for domestic abuse charges.
Blake, 29, appeared via Zoom from his hospital bed, as he recovers from the Aug. 23 shooting that left him paralyzed from the waist down and sparked protests and civil unrest in the city.
In July, Blake was charged with third-degree sexual assault, a felony, as well as criminal trespass and disorderly conduct, both misdemeanors, stemming from an alleged assault in May. The felony carries a maximum 10-year prison term.
His attorney, Patrick Cafferty, entered a plea of not guilty for all three charges on Friday.
Blake, wearing a shirt and tie, spoke when he agreed to the terms of his $10,000 bail, including that he could only leave Wisconsin to seek medical treatment. He also cannot have violent contact with the alleged victim or possess any weapons, Commissioner Loren Keating said.
Blake waived his rights to a preliminary hearing. Probable cause was found, Keating said, and a pretrial conference was scheduled for Oct. 21 and jury selection for Nov. 9.
Due to an outstanding warrant stemming from the domestic abuse charges at the time of the police-involved shooting, Blake was previously handcuffed to his hospital bed. That warrant has since been vacated.
Blake, who is out of the intensive care unit, spoke with former Vice President Joe Biden from his hospital bed over the phone on Thursday, while the Democratic presidential nominee was in Kenosha to meet with Blake’s family and community leaders.
Several competing narratives have emerged in the wake of the shooting. The Kenosha Professional Police Association claims Blake was armed with a knife and “forcefully fought” with the officers who tried to subdue him. But those closest to Blake, including his parents, say he is a loving and devoted father of three who did not deserve what happened to him.
ABC News’ Joshua Hoyos contributed to this report.
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