A Yolo County Superior Court judge struck special circumstance allegations against two Black defendants charged with murder, determining a violation of California’s Racial Justice Act. The ruling concluded the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office failed to provide race-neutral explanations for disparities in how special circumstance allegations were pursued.
A Yolo County judge ruled that a criminal case could proceed beyond the statutory 30-day trial deadline, citing good cause based on the unavailability of two prosecution witnesses, despite the accused not having waived his right to a speedy trial.
Yolo County Superior Court considered arguments regarding a defendant’s parole violation, with defense counsel advocating for credit for time spent in rehabilitation against a standard 60-day sentence. The prosecution, however, opposed this, citing incomplete probation stipulations and questioning the legitimacy of the treatment institution, referencing the 1978 People v. Rodgers case.
Yolo County Superior Court Judge Catherine A. Rayhill ordered the release on his own recognizance of an individual charged with felony resisting arrest, following a mental health report that deemed him incompetent to stand trial, with the stipulation that he meet with a representative from the state-mandated Conditional Release Program.