Open records attorney disagrees with DA’s rationale for sealing
Rodrigues transcript
HOLLISTER
A California Newspaper Publishers Association attorney questioned why the transcripts from a criminal grand jury that indicted a former sheriff’s deputy should remain sealed.
Those transcripts – which contain testimony against former sheriff’s Sgt. Mike Rodrigues – were to be made public today. Rodrigues was indicted last month on eight felony charges, seven of which are suspected sex crimes.
Last week, District Attorney Candice Hooper met with a judge to have the transcripts sealed until at least Jan. 22, when Rodrigues is scheduled to be arraigned.
In court filings, Hooper contended that the transcripts should be sealed to protect the identity of the suspected victims.
But public records obtained by the Free Lance both the week after Rodrigues surrendered and again on Thursday revealed the names of the three suspected victims.
Attorney Jim Ewert on Friday said there is no reason the transcripts should remain sealed.
“Their argument has completely evaporated now,” Ewert said Friday. “The charging sheet contains the names of the victims.”
At the least, Ewert said, the court should redact the names of the victims from the transcripts.
Hooper said Friday that the documents will remain sealed until the Jan. 22 arraignment.
“That will be something for the court and the attorneys to discuss,” Hooper said.
