Yogurt Shop Case Takes Another Turn

Michael Scott (Photo by John Anderson)

A bond hearing for yogurt shop murder defendant Robert Springsteen has been postponed until June 19 – and it's unlikely that the rescheduled hearing will include live expert testimony as originally thought, sources tell us. New DNA evidence obtained through additional testing last year of samples taken from the crime scene Dec. 6, 1991, has revealed the profile of at least one unknown male suspect. Their attorneys say the new evidence proves Springsteen and his co-defendant, Michael Scott, are innocent. The state, of course, doesn't see things that way; nonetheless, Judge Mike Lynch had scheduled a bond hearing for this week to determine whether the two men, who have been behind bars for nearly 10 years now, should be released pending retrial for the murder of four teen girls inside a North Austin yogurt shop.

Lynch has now postponed Spring­steen's bond hearing and has set a July 6 date for Scott's trial to begin. Scott's attorneys say they will not seek bond because they need to concentrate their energies on preparing for the upcoming trial.

Things began changing course (again) earlier this month when Lynch ruled that no live testimony would be given during the bond hearing and that the DNA experts expected to testify would be asked to file affidavits, which will be sealed. Whether the lawyers will have any opportunity to argue their case in open court remains unclear.

Meanwhile, one of Scott's attorneys says that his team is ready for the retrial. "We're ready – we've been ready," said attorney Carlos Garcia. "I think we can vindicate our client with science."