Jury trials are expected to resume in Humboldt County next month, with a July 13 trial confirmed today for murder suspect Antone Richard Aubrey IV.
“My understanding is July 13 is the date for having jurors in,” Deputy District Attorney Roger Rees told Judge Timothy Canning during a trial-confirmation hearing this morning. Rees said choosing a jury could take up to four weeks, and the prosecution’s case could last for an additional four weeks.
Aubrey.
At this point it’s uncertain how many jurors will respond to a subpoena, given concerns about the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
“Assuming of course that the jurors will be available, we are prepared to confirm,” said attorney Sara Zalkin, making a special appearance this morning for defense attorney Russ Clanton.
Aubrey, 32, is accused of shooting his sister Angel Louise Aubrey to death during an argument in Hoopa in February 2018. The 33-year-old single mother of five was killed by a gunshot to the head.
Although Antone Aubrey was found mentally competent to stand trial, the defense says he was insane at the time of the killing.
Rees appeared this morning on behalf of Deputy District Attorney Candace Myers, who will be the prosecutor at trial.
PREVIOUSLY:
- Woman Shot to Death Following Disturbance Behind Hoopa Gas Station, 30-Year-Old Man Arrested for Murder
- Hoopa Homicide Victim Identified as Suspect’s Sister
- Antone Aubrey, Hoopa Man Accused of Murdering Sister, Pleads Not Guilty
- Hoopa Murder Suspect’s Preliminary Hearing Rescheduled
- HUMBOLDT MURDER TRIAL ROUNDUP: Aubrey Gets New Attorney; Kobak, Valenzuela Trials Postponed While Public Defender Works Goldberg Case
- Hoopa Man Accused of Murdering Sister Deemed Mentally Incompetent to Stand Trial
- Hoopa Man Headed to State Mental Hospital, Will Face Murder Charges If Later Deemed Mentally Competent
- California Mental Hospital Inefficiencies Leave Two Humboldt Murder Suspects in Limbo
- Woman Who Attacked Eureka Walgreens Cashier With Hammer Headed to Mental Facility
- Under Threat From the State AG, State Mental Hospital Finds Place for Hoopa Man Accused of Killing Sister
- Judge Rules Hoopa Man Must Stand Trial For Murder in 2018 Shooting Death of His Sister
- COURT ROUNDUP: Mck Woman to Plead Guilty to Manslaughter; Hoopa Man’s Murder Trial Set to Begin; More Updates
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Also this morning, sentencing was continued yet again for Catherine “Catie” Fode, who has promised to testify during the trial of co-defendant Cesar Valenzuela and can’t be sentenced until she fulfills that promise.
Fode.
Fode and Valenzuela are among five defendants charged after 20-year-old Tyson Eduardo Claros was shot to death during a carjacking near Manila in December 2016. Fode pleaded guilty early on to voluntary manslaughter and agreed to testify for the prosecution.
Three other defendants — Brandon James Mitchell, Tamara Nicole Thomson and Hector Godoy-Standley, resolved their cases with plea bargains and were sentenced to prison. Only Valenzuela has decided to go to trial, and every time his trial is continued Fode’s sentencing is delayed.
As of now, Valenzuela’s trial is scheduled for August.
At the request of Fode’s defense attorney Neal Sanders, Judge Christopher Wilson set Aug. 17 as the date for scheduling sentencing.
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PREVIOUSLY:
- 20-Year-Old Shot Dead in Manila Early This Morning; Victim Found Lying in the Middle of Highway 255
- This Morning’s Manila Homicide Victim ID’d by Sheriff’s Office
- More Details Emerge in Manila Murder Conspiracy as Three Suspects Appear in Court
- INVESTIGATORS: Manila Murder Conspiracy Driven By Belief That Victim Had Sexually Abused Suspects’ Daughter
- Defendants in 2016 Manila Murder Plot to be Tried Separately, Judge Rules
- ‘Manila Five’ Suspect Flips: Fode Pleads Guilty to Manslaughter, Agrees to Testify Against Former Co-defendants in Roadside Murder
- March Trial Set For Manila Murder Suspects
- Cooperating Suspect in 2016 Manila Murder Demands to be Sentenced Soon
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