NEW CUMBERLAND — Plenty of tears were shed by an elderly female defendant Wednesday afternoon in Hancock County Magistrate Court; however, it failed to move the prosecutor and magistrate to reduce the bond or charges.

Wednesday had been the sixth day that Roe Degenhardt Baker found herself behind bars, after she allegedly attempted to execute a little self help in removing a alleged “squatter” from her Chester cabin in the 1300 block of Arner Street.

Baker was transported to an appearance before Hancock County magistrate Matthew Harvey Wednesday morning; however, the hearing couldn’t immediately be conducted as scheduled due to her lack of legal counsel.

The crying of the 71-year-old woman was heard by public defender Nick Yurich, who represented her on the fly after completing the financial affidavit paperwork and interview in the courtroom.

Initially she had told court personnel last week, she planned on hiring legal counsel. However, on Wednesday, Baker detailed she was unable to do so between cost and the ability to contact anyone via the jail phone due to the background noise.

Baker also detailed a series of medical ailments responsible for her frail appearance in court and had to physically be held up to walk into court by transport officers, who also assisted her in completing the forms.

Yurick decided Baker fit the criteria of indigency and represented her at the status hearing around 90 minutes of her scheduled time.

His requests for a bond reduction from $35,000 cash or surety to $7,500 cash, surety of 10 percent was denied by Harvey.

However, the magistrate agreed to approve the defense’s time waiver and schedule Baker’s next court date, a preliminary hearing for 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 25, in Hancock County magistrate court.

Prosecutors had charged Baker on Sept. 11 with a single count of attempted murder (felony with the possibility of life in prison) and five counts of wanton endangerment involving a firearm, after she allegedly shot at the man remodeling her home in an attempt to force his removal from her property, where she had been allowing him to stay.

She alleges that he not only had volunteered to do the work in exchange for room and board but that he was a squatter whom she had filed eviction papers for.

The man was not injured.

Dragsich also alleges that the man was supposed to be compensated for the work and hadn’t, thus the falling out.

The 1313 Arner address, where the shooting happened, also is being advertised in available area rentals for the winter months,

When checking her 1313 Arner address, it came back to advertising available rentals of the cabin during the winter when the snowbird was planning to be out west.

If Baker indeed manages to post bond, she currently is prohibited to return to the Arner Street address.

If convicted, she faces life in prison.

sujhelyi@mojonews.com