Arson Suspect's Mom in Court For Extradition Hearing

Los Angeles - A bail hearing was set today for the mother of a man suspected of setting dozens of fires in Hollywood, West Hollywood and San Fernando Valley over New Year's weekend.

But both a federal magistrate judge and the attorney for Dorothee Burkhart indicated it was unlikely the 53-year-old German national would be set free before a decision is made on her possible extradition to Germany to face fraud charges.

In light of Burkhart's "vehement opposition" to returning to Germany, "this court has a heightened concern about the risk of flight," U.S.

Magistrate Judge Margaret Nagle said during a brief status conference in the case.

Outside court, defense attorney Michael Belter gave one more reason Burkhart is likely to be kept in federal custody pending trial.

"She doesn't have any money," he said.

Nagle set a bail hearing for Feb. 7, but said another magistrate judge would probably have taken over the case by then and would schedule a new date.

Burkhart is accused in Germany of subletting apartments that she did not own, failing to pay rent and security deposits on other locations, and defrauding a Frankfurt cosmetic surgeon out of the equivalent of about $10,000 for breast augmentation surgery for which she never paid, according to court papers.

The extradition process could take months, federal prosecutors said.

Burkhart's 24-year-old son, Harry, pleaded not guilty Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court to dozens of arson-related charges stemming from the series of fires that terrorized Los Angeles at the beginning of the year.

With the addition of 63 new counts, Harry Burkhart faces 100 felony charges related to 49 blazes set between Dec. 30 and Jan. 2. Most of the fires began in automobiles but usually spread to homes in Hollywood, West Hollywood, Sherman Oaks and surrounding areas.

His bail was set at $7.5 million.

In previous court appearances, Dorothee Burkhart railed against media sketch artists and defended her son against accusations relating to the arson fires.

"My son is mentally ill," she said earlier this month. "We are the victims, we are not criminals."

There were no outbursts at today's hearing.