NEWHALL : $1-Million Bail Set in Harassment Case

A Newhall judge has taken the unusual step of setting bail at $1 million in a misdemeanor case.

Municipal Judge Alan S. Rosenfield increased bail from $30,000 to $1 million this week for James Eugene Turner, 48, of Saugus who was being held on misdemeanor charges that he repeatedly made harassing telephone calls to a neighbor.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Pam Springer declined to comment specifically on Turner’s bail, saying only that “the judge had looked at all the circumstances.” Judge Rosenfield said he considered Turner “dangerous” and a “possible threat” to the alleged victim, Maria Menard.

Prosecutors are considering whether to bring a felony stalking charge against Turner, Springer said, adding that a journal seized by Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies shows that Turner closely monitored Menard’s activities for at least three months.

Turner pleaded not guilty Monday to misdemeanor charges that he harassed Menard by phoning her between June 22 and Aug. 14. Deputies responding to Menard’s complaints traced the calls to Turner after installing on her telephone a device that displays the numbers of callers, officials said.