By Kathryn Wood
SACRAMENTO, CA – This past Friday afternoon, the accused confidently strode into Sacramento County Superior Court representing himself before Judge Steve White.
The accused, charged with two felonies related to assault with a deadly weapon, motioned for informal discovery and noted that the Fairfield Inn in Sacramento failed to provide his investigator with surveillance footage from the time of the incident.
He stated that the business refused to provide this evidence, and that the Fairfield Inn was “not being truthful” and that he was “assaulted and battered by hotel staff.”
The accused added that police documentation noted that the hotel had stated that there was footage.
Judge White suggested that the accused should “independently have investigators follow up.”
Additionally, Deputy District Attorney Nicholas Karp mentioned that he requested any available surveillance, but there was a negative declaration.
Next, the accused questioned whether the court had granted the subpoenas that he submitted. But Judge White said they were not in the file that was provided.
Defendant the accused noted that, in jail, he does not have access to his phones or computer, and that the jail currently possesses his devices.
In an attempt to acquire documents, Judge White suggested the accused should have his investigator go through his devices.
However, the accused seemed hesitant at this suggestion, stating that he “didn’t feel comfortable with giving the investigator all of his personal information.”
“Is there a way without exposing myself to a third party?” asked the accused.
Judge White assured him that all investigators must abide by the interests of their clients and would lose their job if they were to release any information.
The accused, who still seemed skeptical, suggested that he could possibly log into his account to retrieve the emails. Judge White stated that the court does not “interfere with security measures at the jail.”
The defendant said he believes that his “parents were in contact with the hotel staff” the day of his arrest, and that because, he said, his parents physically abused him for over three decades, The accused obtained a restraining order against his father. But even that, he said, “did not stop him.”
According to the accused, he left his parents, which led them to contact the police and file a false missing person report, stating that he was “possibly suicidal” and “at risk.” Previously, he said they had also said that he was “psychotic and violent.”
The accused reported that he was neither. Their actions “drove me into homelessness because I lost all my clients,” he commented.
The day of his arrest, the accused stated that there was a “complete lack of investigation” and that the “hotel staff were the aggressors.”
He asserted that he has video evidence of people involved on the day of his arrest located on his phone.
DDA Karp claimed that he did not see any complainants that were his parents, but further investigations would take place.
The accused declared “I have issues with representing myself” and “issues with the Sacramento Police Department.” His public defender was relieved in early February.
Furthermore, he asserted that all counsels were “unwilling” to “paint law enforcement in a bad light,” which was “key to his case of defensive entrapment.”
Further proceedings are set for April 22 at 1:30 p.m. in Dept. 52.
Kathryn Wood is a third year at UC Davis, majoring in Political Science-Public Service and minoring in Professional Writing and Environmental Policy Analysis and Planning. She is from Petaluma, California.
To sign up for our new newsletter – Everyday Injustice – https://tinyurl.com/yyultcf9
Support our work – to become a sustaining at $5 – $10- $25 per month hit the link:
