By City News Service
May 15, 2021
SANTA ANA (CNS) - Orange County prosecutors have been dealt a legal setback in their murder case against at least one of five defendants, including reputed Orange County Mexican Mafia chief Johnny Martinez, due to fallout from the Orange County sheriff s evidence booking scandal.
Unlike his co-defendants, Augustine Velazquez, 24, has pushed for a trial and does not want to waive any more time in the case so he will go on trial first. His trial is scheduled to begin next week.
On Monday, Orange County Superior Court Judge Patrick Donahue granted a motion to dismiss multiple gang-related charges and sentencing enhancements in the case when defense attorney Rob Harley argued prosecutors evidence from a gang expert during the preliminary hearing was tainted because the sheriff s deputy was dishonest on the stand.
Prosecutors ask to drop most charges in reality TV doctor rape case
Paul Bersebach/The Orange County Register via AP
In this Oct. 17, 2018 photo, Dr. Grant Robicheaux and his girlfriend Cerissa Riley listen during a news conference by their lawyer Philip Kent Cohen in Newport Beach, Calif.
and last updated 2021-05-14 22:31:58-04
SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) â State prosecutors on Friday asked a judge to dismiss most sex crime charges filed against a reality TV doctor and his girlfriend, who are accused of drugging and raping several women at their Southern California home.
The attorney generalâs office, which took over the case from the Orange County district attorneyâs office last year, filed a motion asking for dismissal of 10 charges involving six of the seven alleged victims.
Prosecutors ask to drop most charges in doctor rape case
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SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) – State prosecutors on Friday asked a judge to dismiss most sex crime charges filed against a reality TV doctor and his girlfriend, who are accused of drugging and raping several women at their Southern California home.
The attorney general’s office, which took over the case from the Orange County district attorney’s office last year, filed a motion asking for dismissal of 10 charges involving six of the seven alleged victims.
“We have no reason to believe that any of these victims are being untruthful,” but a review found that some allegations couldn’t be proved beyond a reasonable doubt, the prosecutor said.
Prosecutors ask to drop most charges in doctor rape case
FILE - In this Friday, Feb. 7, 2020, file photo, Grant Robicheaux, center, and Cerissa Riley, arrive at Orange County Superior Court Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach, Calif. State prosecutors want to drop most sex crime charges filed against a reality TV doctor and his girlfriend, who are accused of drugging and raping several women at their Southern California home. The attorney general s office, which took over the case last year, asked an Orange County judge on Friday, May 14, 2021, to drop charges involving six of seven alleged victims. (Mark Rightmire/The Orange County Register via AP, File)
By City News Service
May 14, 2021
SANTA ANA (CNS) - Prosecutors from the state Attorney General s Office told an Orange County Superior Court judge today they don t believe they can prove most of the rape charges against a Newport Beach hand surgeon and his girlfriend and want to amend the complaint against the pair to include just one sexual assault case involving one of the seven charged victims.
Orange County Superior Court Judge Steven Bromberg told the prosecutors to file a document under seal offering more explanation as to why they believe they do not have enough evidence to proceed on most of the charges against Dr. Grant Robicheaux, 40, and Cerissa Laura Riley, 34.