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Kidnapping charged in odd courthouse incident By DANI DODGE A Medford man was arraigned Monday on felony charges that he kidnapped a senior citizen from the Justice Building and stole his briefcase. Looking gaunt and confused, the alleged kidnapper, Aron Bernhardt Revis, 31, of 36 Peach St., No. B, was arraigned on charges of second-degree kidnapping, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and third-degree theft. Medford police Lt. Mike Moran said the case started at the old county courthouse on Friday morning. "The guy was being disruptive and causing problems at the courthouse," Moran said. "Then he goes into an employee area and steals a (yellow) legal pad." After that Revis went across the street to the county's Justice Building, where he approached a man waiting to take the elevator down to the county's law library. Revis allegedly grabbed the man's briefcase from his hand and rifled through it until he found a tape recorder, Moran said. "He says, 'It's illegal to have a tape recorder. You'll have to come with me,' " said Deputy District Attorney Timothy Barnack. "The older gentleman believed he may be an undercover police officer ... and went with him." Revis allegedly ushered the man outside and then back across the street to the old county courthouse. He sat the man down in an office and then took off with the briefcase, police said. "A citizen intervenes, but the suspect keeps running," Moran said. "When he's stopped by police, he squares off as if he's going to assault the officer." Police took Revis to the ground and arrested him. When police asked Revis why he would have done what he allegedly did, Revis declined to answer. "There's no explanation for his actions," Moran said. Barnack said the older man was frightened by the incident but otherwise unharmed. "It's just not right," Barnack said. "We need to protect our senior citizens." In court Monday, when the judge asked Revis if he wanted an attorney, Revis answered he just wanted to talk with the district attorney who was prosecuting him. Judge Mark Schiveley explained that Revis was facing charges of second-degree kidnapping - a Measure 11 crime that carries a mandatory sentence of 70 months in prison. "It's penitentiary time," Schiveley said, eventually appointing a public defender to represent Revis. In a loud whisper, Revis asked his public defender, "Do you think they'll release me on my own recognizance?" But the judge set Revis' bail at $500,000. Reach reporter Dani Dodge at 776-4471, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.