Serial stowaway Marilyn Hartman indicted for felony theft

The woman known for repeated trespassing at Chicago airports returns to a Cook County courtroom.

Today a Grand Jury returned an indictment against Marilyn Hartman for felony theft.

The indictment stems from a flight Hartman took from OHare three weeks ago to London without a ticket.

In that incident, she also went through a TSA checkpoint without showing an ID or boarding pass.

Hartman had been released after that case only to be arrested days later at O'Hare - a violation of the Judge's order.

Since the re-arrest Hartman has been held at Cook County Jail on no bond.

Today in Court her public Defender filed a Motion to reduce her bond so that Hartman could be place in a monitored mental health facility with Electronic monitoring.

Her attorney argued that Hartman was not a danger to the community.

The prosecutor argued that the facility was not locked and Hartman would be 20 mins from transportation to either airport.

The judge denied the motion, so Hartman remains in jail.

"The risk of someone being injured in her case is almost non-existent," said Parle Roe-Taylor, Cook County Asst. Public Defender.

Hartman's attorney contends the jail is not the right place for a 66-year-old woman with a history of mental health issues and no violent offenses.

"She's certainly been afraid she's tried to stay to herself and be as quiet and unassuming as she can be its day to day its difficult," Roe-Taylor said.

Most of Hartman's court appearances since 2015 have been at Grand and Central. With the indictment Hartman will appear at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse at 26th and California on the felony theft charge on Feb. 21.