NATION IN BRIEF : VIRGINIA : Court Panel Refuses to Release Bakker

A federal appeals court panel refused to release jailed television evangelist Jim Bakker while he appeals his conviction for cheating PTL followers of millions of dollars. A three-judge panel of the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond said a motion on behalf of the defrocked minister was not sufficient to refute evidence he might flee if released. The judges said hundreds of letters from loyal followers did not provide a basis for releasing Bakker.