HOLLISTER
On the district attorney’s request, a judge this week sealed
criminal grand jury transcripts until former sheriff’s Sgt. Mike
Rodrigues is arraigned Jan. 22
– if not longer – to rpotect the identity of the victims in the
case.
But public court documents obtained by the Free Lance after
Rodrigues surrendered reveal the identity of the three women
involved in each suspected crime.
HOLLISTER
On the district attorney’s request, a judge this week sealed criminal grand jury transcripts until former sheriff’s Sgt. Mike Rodrigues is arraigned Jan. 22 – if not longer – to rpotect the identity of the victims in the case.
But public court documents obtained by the Free Lance after Rodrigues surrendered reveal the identity of the three women involved in each suspected crime.
The same documents, with names, were made available again as public records Thursday.
“Well, then, the court screwed up,” District Attorney Candice Hooper said Thursday.
Hooper met with San Benito County Superior Court Judge Steven Sanders to request the transcript remain sealed Wednesday. Rodrigues was indicted last month on eight felony charges – including seven suspected sex crimes.
A criminal grand jury transcript is to remain sealed for 10 days after it is delivered to prosecutors and defense attorneys before it is made public. The transcripts were to become public Monday.
“I am honoring the victims’ request for confidentiality,” Hooper said.
The Free Lance will not name the victims due to the nature of the suspected crimes.
Hooper said she did not know if the transcripts will remain sealed after Jan. 22 – and that she, a judge and a defense attorney will discuss its status at the arraignment.
Court documents do not indicated a current attorney of record for Rodrigues.
Mike Pekin, who has represented Rodrigues in civil court matters, said the attorney of record will be determined Jan. 22. Pekin and Rodrigues will both be ordered to appear at the arraignment Jan. 22, according to court documents.
Pekin declined to comment on the case or the possibility of Rodrigues retaining him as counsel because the grand jury transcript is sealed, he said.
“That case is beyond comment for me right now,” Pekin said.
Christopher Miller, a Sacramento-based attorney, represented Rodrigues in employment matters with the sheriff’s office.
Miller did not immediately return calls seeking comment Thursday.
In November 2007, Sheriff Curtis Hill announced Rodrigues was “no longer employed by the County of San Benito.” While Hill would not disclose what agreement Rodrigues and the office came to regarding him employment, Pekin revealed in December that Rodrigues was fired.
A grand jury indicted Rodrigues in December on eight felony charges including: three counts of forcible rape, two counts of unlawful sexual penetration and one count each of spousal rape, attempted rape and domestic violence. Rodrigues surrendered at the San Benito County Jail two days after a warrant was issued for his arrest and he was released on $300,000 bail.
