A silent, shackled and tearful Patrick F. Allen, of Lincroft, faced a Monmouth County judge Monday and heard a prosecutor allege that he had caused the "violent" death of his wife Kimberly, through blunt force trauma and asphyxiation, in the heat of an argument over finances on Friday.
Allen’s attorney, John Charles Allen, of New Brunswick, who is also the defendant's first cousin, asked Superior Court Judge Paul Escandon for a reduction of his $1.5 million bail with no 10 percent option, citing his client’s familial support, financial hardship and lack of any prior criminal background to argue that Patrick Allen posed no flight risk.
The judge denied the request.
“Nothing has been submitted to support the allegations,” the defense attorney said. “And that’s what they are — allegations.” Further stating his case for his client's bail reduction, John Allen told the judge that Patrick Allen “came home and called police” to report his wife’s death.
Prosecutor Marc LeMieux stated that there is evidence that Patrick Allen suffocated and bludgeoned his wife during an argument, left their West Front Street home for nearly an hour and then returned and called police.
Patrick Allen, tearful and red in the face, hung his head as LeMieux described the medical examiner’s findings that the death of Kimberly Allen, Patrick's "wife of 20 years," had resulted from “homicidal violence, including asphyxia and blunt object injuries to the head.”
Arguing against a reduction in bail, LeMieux said there was a “strong likelihood of conviction."
Although Allen's two children and ties to the community are what the defense pointed to as anchor reasons why his client would not flee, the prosecutor said that "the fact of the matter is that in the community that he has ties to is where he committed this crime."
John Allen said that unless Patrick Allen is freed on bail, he will be unable to work to support his children and keep current on his mortgage payments, adding, “if that home is lost, not only will they be taking a home away from the children, but they will taking his only asset."
Pointing to people in the courtroom pews, who he said were relatives of Patrick Allen, John Allen said that their support boded as a strong indicator that “there is no evidence whatsoever to support the contention that my client is a flight risk.”
Reaffirming his denial of the request for bail reduction, Judge Escandon told Patrick Allen, “If you should make bail, sir, you are restricted from the scene and must turn in your passport."
As Patrick Allen was escorted out of the courtroom and back to jail, a woman in the front row, where John Allen said his family was sitting, leaned over, called out his name and blew him a kiss.
Video courtesy of News12; photo courtesy of the Asbury Park Press.
