Prosecutors have reportedly interviewed at least 13 alleged victims. A previous motion indicated that an independent review indicated that some allegations could not be proved beyond a reasonable doubt. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Check for a confirmation email, and then you're all set with MyNewsLA.com! Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Get our latest storiesin the feed of your favorite networks. The case against the two began two years ago, withRobicheaux, 40, and Riley, 33, painted as sexual predators who preyed on vulnerable women. Prosecutors say a California dance instructor was one half of a serial date-rape team who would make targets feel comfortable and safe and then help her doctor boyfriend drug and sexually assault them. They said the portrait authorities painted of Riley as a predator clashed with their memory of the choreographeran Evangelical Christian who went abroad to spread the word of God, performing street-corner skits to attract potential converts. City News Service contributed to this report. The judge also noted that a victim can be so intoxicated to the point where she cannot resist, where she cannot consent or where she cannot withdraw prior consent. At the time, prosecutors painted the couple as sexual predators who used their good looks to prey on vulnerable women, drug them and take them back to their posh Newport Beach home to assault them. A woman purporting to be his girlfriend clearly played a significant role in disarming the victims, making them feel comfortable and safe.. The agency launched a probe into Kearns actions and, as part of that inquiry, investigators concluded the review Spitzer ordered had been lacking. This is not the girl I know and have known since she and my son went to high school together., Woodruff first met Riley in the late 2000s, when she and her son, Chad, were in school together at Villa Park High School in Orange County. In an another alleged incident in October 2016, a womans loud screams spurred neighbors to call 911. Riverside County Firefighters Stop Forward Progress of Brush Fire in Thermal, Walk to End Genocide Held Sunday In Fairfax District, Asian Couple in Bel Air Terrorized in Home Invasion Robbery, Police Arrest 24 During DUI Checkpoint in Riverside, Coroner IDs Man Who Jumped or Fell From Freeway Overpass. Over the past three years of the case, the lawsuit has been subject to political infighting between the former and current district attorney. [1] She says that Robicheaux and Riley then brought her to Robicheauxs apartment and began sexually assaulting her. His workplace is just 45 miles south of Los Angeles at Newport Beach. An attorney representing the couple declined to comment Friday. Hannah Fry is a Metro reporter covering Orange County for the Los Angeles Times. Over three months, prosecutors looked at thousands of photographs and videos that had been taken from the couples computers, hundreds of hours of audio recordings, thousands of pages of documents and tens of thousands of text messages between Robicheaux and Riley spanning four years. Since charges were filed in September 2018, the couples lives have been in shambles, their attorney Thomas M. Ferlauto said. There is no such thing as advanced consent., Fish added, In any event, the consent arguments made by the defense do not detract from the finding made by the magistrate. Why is Frank McCourt really pushing this? The attorneys also focused on what they characterized as subsequent shifting opinions on probable cause by Detective Marie Gamble that came to light in a related civil suit that a defense attorney has used to gather more evidence to defend his clients in the criminal case. Internal memo criticizes O.C. district attorney's review of Robicheaux Attorneys for Dr. Grant Robicheaux and Cerissa Riley argued that the warrant to search the residence at 202 44th St. for drugs and DNA should be quashed and anything found during the resulting search be deemed inadmissible. This internal memo was not a legal review of the evidence against Grant Robicheaux and Cerissa Riley or their innocence or guilt, she said. last . [1] Robicheaux and Riley were each released on a $100,000 bail. According to the state attorney general's office, at least three victims said they no longer wanted to partake in the case because they were "dragged through the mud" but the Orange County district attorney's office. State prosecutor says decision 'imminent' on high-profile Newport Beach Grant Robicheaux is an American surgeon who appeared on an episode of the 2014 Bravo reality show Online Dating Rituals of the American Male. The charges had initially involved five victims. Spitzers review of the case came under scrutiny during a personnel investigation into an investigator at the district attorneys office, Jennifer Kearns. Judge dismisses some charges in rape case against California doctor and However, there are a total of 13 accusers, some of whom could be used by prosecutors as further evidence of a pattern of behavior. Send it to The Daily Beasthere. Those shortcomings led prosecutors for Spitzer to make arguments in court for why the charges against the couple should be tossed out that contained numerous unsupported allegations, misstatements, untruths, and factually wrong conclusions, McCall wrote in the memo. I never made a single decision or statement about the case for any political motive, Rackauckas said in the statement to CNN last week. How Palm Springs ran out Black and Latino families to build a fantasy for rich, white people, 17 SoCal hiking trails that are blooming with wildflowers (but probably not for long! Robicheaux was charged with sexually assaulting seven women, while Riley was charged with five. I didnt create this situation, but its my responsibility to fix it, Spitzer said. The new series follows the case of a Newport Beach orthopedic surgeon and his girlfriend, who are accused of drugging and assaulting multiple women. We are conducting a very thorough and independent review of the case, Martinez said. The request, however, was denied last year by Orange County Superior Court Judge Gregory Jones. The woman said she had trouble recalling everything that happened, but she was able to dissuade Robicheaux from engaging in a particular sex act, but that she did not resist overall because she was afraid of angering the pair, Fish wrote. On January 9, 2018, police searched Robicheaux's home and found firearms and large quantities of illegal drugs, including the date rape drug gamma-Hydroxybutyric acid, MDMA, and cocaine. H-O-O-K, Woodruff explained, it meant to hook peopleto hook people on these little skits.. Charges relating to two of the women were dropped in July at request of the alleged victims, according to BuzzFeed News. Well send you the latest headlines every morning and every weekday afternoon. Ospino also told attorneys that he wants to hold a preliminary hearing by the end of the year to determine whether the case, which has faced repeated delays, can proceed to trial. The top-to-bottom review of the case against Grant Robicheaux, 40, and Cerissa Riley, 33, ordered by Spitzer was incomplete and contained inaccurate and misleading information, according to the memo. The judge in the case had asked the state to file a brief explaining why it planned to dismiss certain charges before he made a decision. However, after considering Spitzer's request, in June of 2020 OC Superior Court Judge Gregory Jones announced that he would not dismiss the charges. Grant Robicheaux, left, and Cerissa Riley, the Newport Beach doctor and his girlfriend accused of drugging and raping multiple women, arrive at Orange County Superior Court Harbor Justice Center . A woman, or any participant, can limit or withdraw his/her consent at any time, Fish wrote. Spitzer, who had accused his predecessor of overreaching in the case to bolster his reelection campaign, sought to dismiss all charges against the couple. It was never a question, Robicheaux said. Orange County Dist. However, there are a . His nationality is American. Sign up here for our free newsletters. Adam E. Chaikin, an attorney for the Assn. LAGUNA BEACH, CA - OCTOBER 17: Dr. Grant Robicheaux, and his girlfriend Cerissa Riley listen during their arraignment at the Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach, CA on Wednesday, October 17, 2018. 2. Deadline is a part of Penske Media Corporation. O.C. Then something changed, Dating in L.A. is exhausting, so I asked a chatbot to flirt for me. Ms. Riley could spend 30 years behind bars. We believe there may be many unidentified victims out there, Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas said this week. Things got weird fast, Opinion: California wants more psychiatric detentions. Spitzer has ensured the attorney general has unrestricted access to all district attorney personnel to aid in its review of the case and to answer any questions or provide clarification, she said. Bei der Nutzung unserer Websites und Apps verwenden wir, unsere Websites und Apps fr Sie bereitzustellen, Nutzer zu authentifizieren, Sicherheitsmanahmen anzuwenden und Spam und Missbrauch zu verhindern, und, Ihre Nutzung unserer Websites und Apps zu messen, personalisierte Werbung und Inhalte auf der Grundlage von Interessenprofilen anzuzeigen, die Effektivitt von personalisierten Anzeigen und Inhalten zu messen, sowie, unsere Produkte und Dienstleistungen zu entwickeln und zu verbessern. A judge approved a request on Thursday to drop most of the case against a man and his girlfriend who were accused of drugging and raping multiple women, paring it down to charges related to just two alleged victims.. Grant Robicheaux, a surgeon once locally dubbed "bachelor of the year" and whose dating escapades were featured on a Bravo reality show, was originally accused by seven women of . [3] Robicheaux was charged with sixteen felonies, including sexually assaulting seven women and Riley was charged with sexually assaulting five women. Paul Bersebach/Orange County Register Via AP, Days Of Our Lives Star Victoria Grace Withdraws From Daytime Emmys Nominations After Huge Misunderstanding Regarding The Rules, Mike Shannon Dies: Emmy-Winning Broadcaster For St. Louis Cardinals Was 83, Legal Battle Over Guitarist Johnny Winters Music Heats Up, Stanley Tucci Talks About His Oral Cancer Battle: I Had A Feeding Tube For Six Months, Online Dating Rituals of the American Male, The Issues, The Stakes, Movies & TV Shows Affected, How Long It Might Last, Netflix Lands Adam McKays New Comedy Average Height, Average Build, Plumbs Another Domestic Win At $38M; Karting Past $1 Billion Global, Serious Moments For Media Give Way To Satire & Mirth; Biden & Wood Remarks. [1] The woman stated that she consumed large amounts of alcohol before they invited her to Robicheaux's residence for an afterparty, where they drugged, raped, and orally copulated her. In 2019, shortly after Todd Spitzer took over as the countys top prosecutor, he assigned two deputy district attorneys to conduct a review of all the evidence collected in the case. There is not a single piece of evidence or video or photo that shows an unconscious or incapacitated woman being sexually assaulted, said Spitzer, the new prosecutor. Spitzer accused his predecessor of overreaching on the case to bolster his reelection campaign and moved to have the charges dropped. [1], On October 2, 2016, a woman screamed for help and one of Robicheaux's neighbor called the Newport Beach Police Department. (Image credit: Audiochuck) By The Editors. Todd Spitzer announces in February that he plans to drop all charges against Newport Beach doctor Grant Robicheaux and his girlfriend, Cerissa Riley. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Prosecutors expect to move forward in doctor drug-rape case I cannot tell you if it is tens or hundreds, it is certainly more than tens." [1] The police later stated that they had suspicions but we did not have positive identity at the time of the reports. The request, however, was denied by Orange County Superior Court Judge Gregory Jones. Grant Robicheaux, 40, and girlfriend Cerissa Riley, 34, were accused of drugging and sexually assaulting multiple women. In that incident, Robicheaux allegedly began chatting with the woman on a dating app. The second defendant, being a female, is key, Rackaukas said. Couple speaks out after charges of victimizing female - YouTube Back in September of 2018, Robicheaux and Riley were charged with 17 counts each, including rape by use of drugs, oral copulation by anesthesia, assault with intent to commit sexual offense and possession of a controlled substance for sale. Dr. Grant Robicheaux and Cerissa Riley initially were charged with drugging and raping seven women. During a pretrial hearing Thursday, Deputy Atty. Investigator sues Orange County DA, alleging sabotage in sex - KTLA Another judge at the time said he would refuse to drop the charges, calling Mr Spitzer's decision "ludicrous" and questioning the district attorney's possible motives for the move. City News Service contributed to this report. I told her, Youll always be my daughter-in-law. The unusual move came after a prosecutor pointed out serious proof problems with the case, Spitzer said at the time. The new charge would involve two women instead of the previous five. Both Riley and Robicheaux were freed on $100,000 bail, and return to court on Oct. 25 for an arraignment. Did you encounter any technical issues? Authorities said the couple may have attempted to assault women at several festivals and camp sites along the west coast, including the Burning Man Festival, Dirtybird Campout Festival, Splash House Festival, and various tourist landmarks around Page, Arizona. She told police someone was filming the incident. Please reload the page and try again. [1] The case gained international attention because Rackauckas implied that there were up to one thousand victims. Tony Rackauckas filed charges against Robicheaux and Riley, painting them as sexual predators who used their good looks to prey on vulnerable women, drug them and take them back to their Newport Beach home to sexually assault them. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. A Wealthy Surgeon Accused Of Drugging And Raping Women Is No Longer The new charges will involve downsizing the cases to at least two alleged victims. In a daylong hearing last Thursday, Judge Frank Ospino heard arguments from attorneys for the alleged victims and defendants, as well as the prosecutors. The woman said the drugs felt different than any of the drugs she commonly used, according to the judge. Cerissa Riley, Arrested for Rapes With Dr. Grant Robicheaux, Was an EARLIER: Prosecutors said Friday that intend to go forward with a new complaint charging a former reality star and his girlfriend. Send us a tip using our annonymous form. DA Todd Spitzer held a shocking news conference in which he said that he had assigned new prosecutors to the case after he took office, and their review found no evidence of unconscious women being assaulted. Attorneys for Dr. Grant Robicheaux and Cerissa Riley argued that the warrant to search the residence at 202 44th St. for drugs and DNA should be quashed and anything found during the. At the same time, prosecutors asked to dismiss three firearms enhancements against Robicheaux and Riley and to reduce four felony charges of drug possession for sale to misdemeanors. They agreed to meet in person at a Newport Beach restaurant, with Riley joining them and posing as a friend. A prosecutor told an Orange County Superior Court judge. Atty. The couple was living very happily before they were arrested. UPDATE: A California physician who has been accused of drugging and assaulting two women is a graduate of Lafayette High School. [1] The woman immediately contacted the police the next morning to report that she had been assaulted and a subsequent test of her blood showed multiple controlled substances in her body. [1] The woman stated that they drank alcohol together at a Newport Beach bar until the alleged victim was unconscious. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Surgeon who appeared on reality TV dating show is accused of sexual assault and preying on drugged women, conduct a review of all the evidence collected in the case.

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