Sep 3, 2008 6:42 pm US/Eastern
Rockefeller Faces New Charge Under Old Name
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
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Christian Gerhartsreiter in a jailhouse interview with the Boston Globe last month.
John Tlumacki, Boston Globe Staff photographer
The man who calls himself Clark Rockefeller returned to court Wednesday afternoon to face a new charge under his old name.
Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter appeared in Boston Municipal Court, where he was charged with giving a false name upon arrest.
"You don't have to use your birth name, you can use any name you want. he's only know himself as Rockefeller," said defense attroney Stephen Hrones. "That (the charge) is ridiculous. He gave the name he'd been using for many many years."
The routine status hearing was his first court appearance since law enforcement identified him as Gerhartsreiter, a native of Germany who came to the U.S. as a high school student some 30 years ago and never left. Authorities say he's lived under a string of aliases, including Clark Rockefeller in Boston and Christopher Chichester in California.
Rockefeller is accused of
kidnapping his 7-year-old daughter Reigh in July during a supervised visit with a social worker. He faces charges including kidnapping a minor relative and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. Police found Rockefeller and his daughter in Baltimore. She was unharmed and is now living with her mother.
A grand jury is still hearing evidence in the kidnapping case, so there has been no indictment yet.
"The grand jury is well past halfway done. They need to hear from 2-to-3 more witnesses," said Suffolk County prosecutor David Deakin.
Last month, when Rockefeller's true identity was discovered, officials said they would ultimately seek to prosecute Rockefeller under his given name of Gerhartsreiter. Hrones told WBZ Wednesday he opposes the name change, saying Rockefeller is his client's name.
Gerhartsreiter wore a white, long sleeve thermal shirt and orange jail pants in court. He was unshaven and continues to be held without bail.
Hrones said he'll ask for bail if and when his client is indicted.
"Certainly I'll talk about it but I'm n ot overly optimistic they'll give it to him, given the fact he left the state with a child."
In an unrelated case, Los Angeles investigators call him a "person of interest" in the 1985 disappearance of John and Linda Sohus.
Gerhartsreiter lived in a guesthouse on their property. Nine years after the couple went missing, workers digging on the property discovered bones believed to be those of John Sohus.
Last week, crime scene investigators revisited that site with ground penetrating radar and cadaver-sniffing dogs.
Hrones has said his client has no connection to the couple's disappearance.
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