WOODLAND, CA – Earlier this week, Deputy Public Defender Martha Sequeira, with conflict counsel David Nelson and James Granucci, filed a motion to dismiss a jury trial, arguing Deputy District Attorney Aaron Rojas failed to address the case with “due diligence,” citing a consistent delay in moving the case forward since February of this year.
And, in Yolo County Superior Court, Judge Sonia Cortés dismissed the case without prejudice, siding with DDA Rojas.
Following this decision, DPD Sequeira requested all the court documents regarding this case’s matter, charging DDA Rojas’ argument is not aligning with the information the defense team was provided.
DPD Sequeira noted occasions where DDA Rojas selected the jury incorrectly, talked to the witness before the pre-trial conference, and stated that objections from the defense were never listened to.
The three accused are in custody, and have been in custody since February 2024 for robbery, with enhancements from the strike law putting them at risk of being sentenced to 25 years to life.
DDA Rojas motioned to dismiss without prejudice, to gain more time to find and contact the complaining witness. Within his response to the defense’s claims, DDA Rojas stated he was “ready to go in July,” and that “it wasn’t any fault of (his) own.”
To the statement of DDA Rojas being ready in July, conflict counsel Nelson responded, stating he was called to a jury trial within that time period, but that the other defense attorneys were still ready for the trial.
DPD Sequeira maintained the DDA arguments the week prior were inconsistent with this week’s behavior, and not presenting the two other witnesses proves DDA Rojas is not addressing the case with the “due diligence” required.
On top of this, DPD Sequeira pointed out the complaining witness demonstrated amicability with one of the accused through a fist bump.
DDA Rojas said his claimed knowledge of the other two witnesses’ locations is pure speculation, and went on to claim the manager of the hotel where the crime took place recently moved to Texas.
