Trial again delayed for Salt Lake man accused of kidnapping wife

Trial has been postponed until Dec. 12 for a 55-year-old man indicted in the 2021 weeklong kidnapping and beating of his wife in their Salt Lake apartment.

Talbot Bailey allegedly held his wife captive April 5-12, 2021, in their Ala Ilima Street apartment after he accused her of having an affair. He allegedly repeatedly punched her and threatened her with a camouflage folding knife, court documents show.

Bailey’s lawyer asked for a continuance of the trial, which had been scheduled for Monday, to allow time to obtain discovery documents from the state. Bailey’s trial has been reset on nearly a dozen occasions, at times because of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.

Bailey was indicted on charges of kidnapping, a Class A felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison; first-degree terroristic threatening, a Class B felony; second-degree assault; and three counts of abuse of a household member.

After his wife was reported missing, police went to their apartment April 12 to do a welfare check. Because the front door was bolted shut, he entered through the kitchen window and found the couple in the bedroom.

His wife told police that on April 5, 2021, Bailey picked her up from work, and when they got home he accused her of cheating, then slapped and punched her in the face and head. She said they had been together for 30 years, were legally married and had one child.

She said she tried to flee April 5, but Bailey, listed at 410 pounds and 5 feet 10 inches tall on the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center database, blocked the front door and refused to let her out. He then allegedly grabbed a knife and held it against her neck, which caused a large bruise.

Over the next two days, Bailey allegedly continued beating her and questioning her about cheating.

Police arrested Bailey on April 12 and recovered the knife he allegedly used.

He is still being held without bail at the Oahu Community Correctional Center.

Bailey had a criminal record prior to the 2021 arrest, including previous charges for kidnapping and assault of his wife.

On Sept. 2, 2014, he allegedly held her for nine hours and kept her from leaving their Ala Nioi Place residence. She was struck numerous times and suffered substantial bodily injury. Bailey was charged with second-degree assault, kidnapping and abuse of a family or household member (strangulation). But Circuit Judge Todd Eddins in 2019 dismissed the charges with prejudice for failing to provide the defendant with a speedy trial, preventing the state from bringing up the charges again.

Bailey was convicted March 1, 2011, of first-degree burglary (10 years’ imprisonment) and misdemeanor abuse of a family member, which resulted in a year in prison. On May 29, 2009, he was found guilty of third- degree assault and served 16 days. He was also convicted Sept. 23, 2009 (14 days’ confinement), and Nov. 30, 1999, of misdemeanor abuse of a family member, for which he served two days.

He also has drug and theft convictions.