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Tonya Couch was "cooperative" and respectful as she was being taken into jail, Tarrant County Sheriff Dee Anderson said.
A sheriff said a "woman with means" whose fugitive teenage son used an "affluenza" defense to avoid prison after killing four people in a drunken-driving wreck has complained about the conditions in her Texas jail cell. We have also never seen or heard of a sheriff taking the additional unprecedented step that he took earlier today of interrogating her while in custody at court today (surrounded by four deputies) and while clearly represented by counsel, but without her counsel present! Couch's attorney has requested a bond reduction.
Tonya Couch's attorneys previously released a statement saying she had done nothing illegal.
Another hearing on Monday will focus on her bail, which is set at $1 million. At that time, he will consider reducing the bond amount, which was set at $1 million.
Officials from Los Angeles and Tarrant counties were not immediately available for comment. The judge, who seemed unwilling to lower Couch's bail, said there would be restrictions if she did make bail. The mother, wearing a yellow jail jumpsuit, said she did.
The mother's return to Texas is the latest twist in a controversial case that drew national attention. She and Ethan were arrested in Puerto Vallarta in late December. Instead of jail time, the lenient judge, who tried Couch as a juvenile, gave the teen a probationary sentence.
Then a video appeared showing him at a party where people were drinking.
He had been ordered to stay away from drugs and alcohol for the duration of his probation.
In a brief news conference with reporters after the hearing, Patten took a jab at Anderson for how involved he has been in the case.
Even if he is ultimately returned to the United States, the maximum punishment he would face is 120 days in jail. The judge said she was tied up in traffic.
Tonya Couch appears before state District Judge Wayne Salvant in Fort Worth, Texas, Friday, Jan. 8, 2016.
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