Judge Rules in Favor of Colombo in Reality TV Case  11/15/05

A judge ruled yesterday (14NOV05) that Christopher Colombo, the son of infamous mobster Joseph Colombo, can remain under reduced house arrest and continue to film his reality TV show.

Colombo is currently on $1 million bail after being indicted on racketeering charges in March 2004, but the house arrest conditions in his bail agreement were relaxed for "family needs".

But prosecutors argued his hit show House Arrest, which will be broadcast on US TV network HBO for the first time on 24 November (05), "makes a mockery" of the easing of Colombo's bail conditions to allow him to spend time with his family.

The prosecution claimed Colombo took advantage of the relaxation "to generally gallivant around town with his associates", and they called upon Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald to ban him from filming any more episodes of House Arrest.

But Judge Buchwald refused to tighten the conditions of Colombo's bail, and said she would only reconsider "if the government can produce evidence that Mr.

Colombo has violated the terms of his bail".

In House Arrest, Colombo is filmed giving confession to a Catholic priest, visiting a strip club, eating at a Chinese restaurant and taking in a cabaret show.