By Anna Okada
FRESNO – COVID-19 has disrupted the nation’s normal activities, including the that of the courts.
That included this week here in Fresno County Superior Court when Deputy Public Defender Emilia Carbajal reported she was unable to obtain any information on when her client, who has been in a Fresno County jail in “quarantine status” since June, could appear in court.
Carbajal’s case was called for arraignment, a hearing in which the judge formally states the charges against the defendant. However, the defendant, Felipe Salais, is in custody in quarantine and has been so since June.
The court’s correctional officer explained that, when asked about defendants in quarantine, the jails maintain “they don’t know” anything. “That’s all they gave us,” he said.
Salais’ arraignment was first scheduled in June, but was pushed back so that Salais could be quarantined for two weeks before appearing in court.
The correctional officer stated that his supervisors have been trying to get attorneys to be able to obtain updates regarding certain inmates’ quarantine statuses. In the meantime, the jails have not released any information.
With Salais remaining in quarantine, Carbajal has been unable to move forward with his case.
Salais’ case will be heard soon, in hopes that Carbajal will be able to have a phone call with him before then.
To sign up for our new newsletter – Everyday Injustice – https://tinyurl.com/yyultcf9
