Jury selection for the trial of an ex-San Benito County
Sheriff’s deputy has pushed back the trial start date until a
complete jury with alternates can be selected.
Jury selection for the trial of an ex-San Benito County Sheriff’s deputy has pushed back the trial start date until a complete jury with alternates can be selected.
On Thursday and Friday, prosecutors for the San Benito County District Attorney’s Office and lawyers for Michael Rodrigues selected nine potential jurors at the San Benito County Courthouse. The jurors need to come back on Tuesday when the lawyers call in the remainder of the potential jurors.
Court Manager Nancy Iler said that the court is currently going out for a second pool of jurors, who are scheduled to report to courthouse on Sept. 8.
“From Thursday and Friday, I believe we have nine potential jurors that will be selected and we need 14,” Iler said.
Jurors are being selected for one of the biggest trials in the county’s recent history. Rodrigues, a former sheriff’s deputy, is charged with four counts of rape, with additional counts of unlawful sexual penetration and domestic violence.
Officials say 450 potential jurors were called to the courthouse on Friday. While Court Executive Gil Solorio and Iler didn’t know exactly how many people showed up, Iler estimated that “probably half” appeared.
The court has summoned 250 additional jurors for the Sept. 8 selection hearing to establish the remaining 5 needed jurors and alternates.
Iler said she hopes to get the remaining jurors on Sept. 8, “wrap it up in a day and start (the trial) on the ninth.”
However, Solorio said that goal is only on paper and the returning nine candidates are potential jurors.
