Convicted Polo Mogul Released From Jail On $7M Bond
WEST PALM BEACH (CBSMiami) – Wellington polo mogul John Goodman will spend the weekend at home after being released from jail Friday morning on a $7 million bondl.
Goodman left the Palm Beach County Jail at 7:45 a.m. in the back seat of an unmarked sheriff's office car and did not stop to speak to the media gathered to await his release.
A judge set bond earlier this week for Goodman who is appealing his DUI manslaughter conviction and 16-year prison sentence for the 2010 death of 23-year-old Scott Wilson.
Goodman has strict conditions for his bond that will keep him in clear sight of the long arm of the law.
Conditions of his house arrest include confinement to the International Polo Club property in Wellington, where he has both a home and an office and he must pay for police officers to keep an eye on him 24 hours a day.
He must submit to random drug and alcohol testing at his own expense and wear and electronic monitoring device. He turned in his passport a month ago.
The judge also banned him from Wellington's social scene. He's not allowed to attend any social activities. There's a no drinking order and no drugs not prescribed by a doctor.
And there's one big wild card. Goodman arranged to adopt his 42-year-old girlfriend on what critics claim is an effort to gain control of hundreds of millions in trust funds for his children. The judge said if the courts OK the adoption and increase the chance Goodman will have access to that money, he will remove the bond and put Goodman behind bars.
Goodman was jailed in March after a jury convicted him of DUI manslaughter in the death of Wilson, who drowned after Goodman's Bentley crashed into his Hyundai and pushed it into a canal. Authorities said Goodman left the scene and waited nearly an hour to call 911. His blood alcohol level measured more than twice the legal driving limit.
Goodman's legal team, led by attorney Roy Black, is appealing his conviction and legal sentence on several grounds, including allegations of juror misconduct.
