Memorial sign for Suzanne Seemann. File photo.

Nearly three years after he allegedly murdered a Hoopa woman, stole her vehicle and ran down three joggers, killing one, Jason Anthony Warren asked to leave the courtroom where a judge and three attorneys were set to discuss his upcoming trial, and victims of his alleged crimes sat patiently, hoping for justice.

Warren, his copper hair pulled tight against his head, twin braids dangling against his neck, was brought in to the courtroom numerous times this afternoon, only to be led out again to make way for closed-courtroom hearings. Each time a bailiff brought him back in, Warren would slump in a jury box chair, resting his thick tattooed arms in his lap, wrists cuffed together. Once or twice he threw his legs forward, crossing them casually at the ankles like a man watching football on TV. 

He also spoke loud enough to be heard throughout the courtroom, a first in these pretrial hearings. Judge Timothy Cissna had explained that they were waiting on Warren’s attorney, Glenn Brown with the county’s Alternate Counsel office, to finish up with another hearing,when Warren piped up from the jury box, saying he’d already spoken with Mr. Brown “about me not having to be here today.”

Cissna shushed him, explained that he couldn’t talk to Warren until his attorney was present. “You’ll have to wait for Mr. Brown,” he said.

Once all the key players were present, including Mr. Brown, Warren again expressed a desire to leave the courtroom. Judge Cissna said that was his right, but wanted to make sure Warren understood that decisions regarding his trial would be made. Was he sure he didn’t want to be there?

“Yeah,” Warren said, “if it’s something I don’t need to be here for.”

Warren conferred with Mr. Brown, who confirmed his position, telling the judge, “It was his express desire not to be here. He’s content to have me represent him.”

And so Warren was led out of the courtroom.

Warren.

Warren is accused of murdering Hoopa woman Dorothy Ulrich, stealing her 2005 Kia Spectra and, in the early morning hours of Sept. 27, 2012, running down three women jogging on Old Arcata Road. One of the women, HSU geography instructor and mother of two Suzanne Seemann, was pronounced dead at the scene, as was a dog who was along on the run. The other two women, Jessica Hunt and Terri Vroman-Little, were seriously injured.

Seeman’s husband, Humboldt County Deputy Director of Environmental Services Hank Seemann, was among the people on hand for today’s hearing, as has usually been the case since pretrial hearings began more than two years ago.

Today’s hearing focused on scheduling jury selection and mapping out a schedule for the trial itself. Brown spoke on behalf of Warren while District Attorney Maggie Fleming presented to the judge Mendocino County Assistant District Attorney Paul Sequeira, who she brought in as a special prosecutor specifically for this case. 

Judge Cissna addressed the difficulties of scheduling a long murder trial given the excessive work burden on the court’s current slate of judges. Fleming, meanwhile, said she was worried that if the trial doesn’t proceed with at least three or four hearings per week it could drag on for months, possibly going through the holidays, which “is simply not going to work for many jurors,” she said.

Ultimately both the defense and the prosecutors estimated that the trial will last eight weeks, including the jury selection process. 

Brown expressed concern about the People’s intent to file so-called 1101 B evidence, which is evidence related to the accused’s character or habits. Sequeira agreed to provide Brown with a more specific motion by next Wednesday.

Judge Cissna asked both parties for a witness list, and Fleming said she could provide one by tomorrow. An interim hearing was set for next Wednesday, Sept. 23, at 4 p.m., and another hearing will be held the following Tuesday.

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