Judge Denies Bond Reduction for Idaho Man Accused of Strangling

LEWISTON, Idaho (AP) — A 2nd District Judge has denied reducing bond for a man accused of strangling his ex-wife. The Lewiston Tribune reports that Judge Gregory FitzMaurice this week ruled that bond for Joseph Thomas Jr. will remain at $1 million.

Thomas, a former Nez Perce County sheriff's deputy, was convicted in 2011 of first-degree murder in the death of Beth Irby-Thomas and sentenced to 25 years. But the state Supreme Court overturned the conviction last year.

Their decision was based on the judge not allowing evidence that Irby-Thomas inadvertently strangled herself while engaged in the solitary practice of autoerotic asphyxia.