Man Accused of Hiring Hitman to Kill Wife Allowed Bail, TX
Oct. 28, 2006, 7:01AM Man accused of hiring hitman to kill his wife is allowed bail Conditions include wearing an ankle monitor and remaining under house arrest By BRIAN ROGERS A Katy-area man accused of trying to hire someone to kill his wife could be free on bail as early as Monday morning if he agrees to conditions set by state District Judge Jim Wallace. John Sheroke, 40, was arrested Oct. 16, after allegedly offering an undercover Houston police officer $10,000 to kill his wife, Dr. Shelley Ferrill Sheroke. In a brief meeting Friday, Wallace ordered that if he makes the $100,000 bail, Sheroke must remain under house arrest from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. and wear a monitor on his ankle. Prosecutor Brad Hart said Sheroke intends to live with his mother in Dallas. "I think he's prepared to make bond," Hart said. Dallas County authorities will monitor Sheroke there, but he will have to return to Harris County once a week to ensure that he isn't tampering with his ankle monitor, Hart said. As a condition of his bail, Sheroke also will have to hire his own attorney. Sheroke has been represented by court-appointed defense attorney Jim Barr. "The thinking is, if you can make bond, then you can afford your own attorney," Hart said. If Sheroke hires Barr, the attorney would be prohibited from receiving any payment from the county for his past representation. Sheroke would be responsible for the past bill. As part of his bail conditions, Sheroke is forbidden from trying to contact his wife or children. Police were alerted after Sheroke, a physician assistant, approached a former co-worker at a Houston hospital Oct. 10 about arranging the killing of his wife, Hart said. brian.rogers@chron.com http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/metro/4293899.html