By Dan McCue

CHARLESTON -- The attorney representing Al Parish in his investment fraud case filed a 49-page compendium of documents in the federal court in Charleston on Tuesday, seeking an immediate reconsideration of the court’s denial of bond for the former economist.

Rather than continuing to hold his client, the documents filed by attorney Andrew Savage argue the former Charleston Southern University professor should be released on bail guaranteed by a lean on the home of Kathleen J. Parish, Al Parish’s mother.

Savage also suggests that Parish be required to continue psychiatric treatment at the Medical University of South Carolina in accordance with recommendations of forensic psychiatrist Susan J. Hardesty, and that he be placed under house arrest with electronic monitoring.

A hearing to determine Parish’s continued incarceration on charges that he misappropriated as much as $50 million in investors’ funds is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. today before Magistrate Judge George C. Kosko.

In the documents he filed with the court, which include 25 pages of letters of support from Parish’s friends, family and minister, Savage argues the government’s continued detention of his client is unwarranted both because of the type of charges filed against him and because he does not “pose a serious risk of flight” from prosecution.

In making that argument, Savage reminds the court that Parish turned himself in to the FBI on April 12 and that since his incarceration the court-appointed receiver in the civil case against his client has repeatedly stated there is no evidence that Parish hid any funds.

“Mr. Parish has strong family and other ties to the community. He has no prior criminal record and no history relating to drug or alcohol abuse,” Savage wrote. “(He) also has medical and mental problems that make flight unlikely, if not impossible.

“In addition, Mr. Parish has no history of using aliases, has made no efforts to avoid arrest and … no ties to foreign businesses or relatives.”

Given also that Parish has not been charged with any violent crimes, Savage argues in the documents that under the circumstances, a reasonable surety bond with certain conditions is sufficient to ensure his client’s appearances in court to answer the charges against him.