Transcripts from a criminal grand jury that indicted a former
sheriff’s deputy will remained sealed until at least Feb. 12, and
his plea to eight felony charges was delayed six weeks, a judge
ruled today.
Transcripts from a criminal grand jury that indicted a former sheriff’s deputy will remained sealed until at least Feb. 12, and his plea to eight felony charges was delayed six weeks, a judge ruled today.
Mike Rodrigues, 47, of Hollister, was indicted in December 2007 on three counts of forcible rape, two counts of unlawful sexual penetration and one count each of spousal rape, attempted rape and domestic violence.
A neatly shaven Rodrigues appeared in court this morning for the first time on the charges.
Rodrigues’ attorney, Christopher Miller, told the court he filed a request to keep the grand jury transcripts sealed, and plans to ask the case be dismissed.
San Benito County Superior Court Judge Harry Tobias delayed Rodrigues’ arraignment on the charges until Mar. 4 to give attorneys time to file and answer requests.
On Jan. 2, District Attorney Candice Hooper requested the transcripts remain sealed until at least today to protect the names of suspected victims in the case. Those names, however, were made public in a criminal complaint filed in the Rodrigues case held by the San Benito County Superior Court.
“I think there are very strict boundaries to the public’s right to know about these things,” Tobias told the court.
Tobias said the sealed transcripts have “been a visible issue for the public.”
The judge added that it seems both attorneys want the documents to remain sealed.
“Just because the attorneys agree doesn’t mean that’s a correct solution,” Tobias said.
Tobias then used a black marker to redact the names of the suspected victims from the complaint. He asked Hooper to prepare a new complaint without the names by Friday.
Miller declined to comment on the case.
“I can’t talk to you,” Miller told reporters in front of the courthouse this morning. “I’ve filed a protective order and I don’t want to jeopardize that.”
At Hooper’s request, Tobias granted a restraining order for one of the three suspected victims in the case, preventing Rodrigues from contacting her. Two of the victims already have restraining orders in place against Rodrigues.
