By Shawn Hogendorf and Lori Carlson, Correspondents

Charged with second-degree murder, the 45-year-old husband of newspaper reporter Ruth Anne Maddox waived his right to a speedy trial during a hearing in Scott County District Court Wednesday afternoon.

Charles Anthony Maddox Jr., of Prior Lake, was charged in November involving the death of his wife, who was found dead on Nov. 12 in a townhome in the 16400 block of Timber Crest Drive. The Minnesota Regional Medical Examiner’s Office has ruled the death a homicide.

Maddox’s attorneys also requested a bail study, asking that the bail be lowered to $100,000, with conditions. His current bail is $1 million.

A bail study is “normally, but not always” done, according to Fred Bruno, one of Maddox’s attorneys. The rule provides that a judge can do a study as a background check to find what risk factors there may be and how much bail should be set.

The study independently verifies the defendant’s background, attachment to the community, criminal history and other factors that would affect the suitability of getting out on bail.

Bruno said the reason for requesting the bail study is that Maddox “needs to be with his family and to help me in his defense.” Maddox also needs to get therapy and be with his support system, the attorney said.

While in court this week, prosecutors discussed a handwritten document they said was written by Maddox, and requested exemplary handwriting samples, a way handwriting experts can determine the author of a written document. Maddox’s attorneys admitted he wrote the document, the contents of which were not discussed.

“I cannot comment on the document,” Bruno said after the hearing. “It is a document in question that was found and the prosecution brought it forth. They wanted to hire a handwriting expert to say it was authored by my client, and it was authored by my client.”

About a dozen friends and family members of Maddox were present in the courtroom. He smiled at his family when he entered the courtroom and appeared calm throughout the 15-minute hearing in front of Judge Jerome Abrams.

Friends of Ruth Anne Maddox also were present, as was a representative from the Southern Valley Alliance for Battered Women.

Maddox remains in the Scott County Jail.

An omnibus hearing set for 8:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 26.

 Shawn Hogendorf can be reached at (952) 345-6374 or shogendorf@swpub.com. Lori Carlson can be reached at (952) 345-6378 or editor@plamerican.com.