LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Celebrity "SuperChef" and former Louisville restaurant owner Darnell Ferguson pleaded not guilty Wednesday, and a judge lowered his bond from $20,000 to $10,000 on burglary and strangulation charges.
Ferguson's attorney, Krsna Tibbs, told the judge that the alleged victim and her attorney were in agreement with lowering the bond in part because they share three children and Ferguson is needed to help take care of them.
In addition, Tibbs also told the judge the alleged victim has recanted the allegation that he had strangled her. Tibbs said he had spoken with the alleged victim's attorney, Kelsea Hall.
Tibbs later told a WDRB News reporter the woman doesn't want to proceed with any criminal prosecution of Ferguson.
"She thinks they can work everything out and wants to drop the charges," Tibbs said in an interview.
Hall, who represents the alleged victim in a Family Court case with Ferguson, declined to discuss the criminal case.
Ferguson has posted the $10,000 and been released, according to court records.
A prosecutor with the Jefferson County Attorney's office argued that Tibbs' bond request of $5,000 was way too low given the seriousness of the charges, including that that the alleged victim was strangled and had to be taken to the hospital for treatment.
Assistant Jefferson County Attorney Cristin Southard asked that Ferguson's bond be raised from $20,000 to $50,000, saying "we have concerns that there are allegations he said he was going to kill her," according to a video of the hearing.
Ferguson was arrested Tuesday on seven different charges, including burglary, strangulation, assault, terroristic threatening and menacing.
Ferguson was arrested Tuesday on seven different charges, including burglary, strangulation, assault, terroristic threatening and menacing.
A police citation claims on Jan. 2, Ferguson screamed at the woman, punched walls and grabbed her by the neck with both hands, strangling and threatening to kill her.
The alleged victim claimed she struggled to breathe and lost consciousness. When she regained consciousness, the woman said Ferguson ripped her clothing and told her "she was his and no one else's," according to the report.
Police also have photos of redness and scratches.
The St. Matthews Police report also accuses Ferguson of taking her identification and credit cards.
Southard said that the couple are estranged, and a protective order was filed against Ferguson. She added that it is not unusual for a victim of domestic violence to not cooperate with the prosecution of a case.
"They may think they want to reconcile but ... these are very serious allegations, and we have concerns," Southard said. "Recantation, minimizing, those are all parts of the cycle of domestic violence."
If released, Southard asked the judge to put Ferguson on home incarceration. Tibbs said that Ferguson has television appearances scheduled for outside the state.
After notifying both sides that she watches Ferguson's television show and had been to his restaurant many times — giving them a chance to ask her to recuse from the case — Jefferson District Court Judge Anne Delahanty said she is going to treat the case as others with similar charges and set the bond at $10,000.
Ferguson is not allowed to have any contact with the alleged victim. The next scheduled court hearing was set for Jan. 18.
Delahanty did not include the home incarceration stipulation.
Ferguson is known nationally from various TV shows, including as a host on Food Network's "SuperChef Grudge Match." He also competed on several of the network's other shows, including "Tournament of Champions."
At one time, he owned several restaurants in Louisville, including SuperChefs, which closed in July 2022. He's also given back through his nonprofit and other charities.
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