Internet Giants Provide Crucial Evidence; Trial In Davis Molest Case Moves Forward
A court ruling that reaffirmed a previous ruling handed down by Yolo Superior Court Judge Paul Richardson back in September means a long-languishing case will finally be tried.
Justin Morejohn from a Team Donate Life cycle club photo.
Justin Prentice Morejohn, 33, is accused, according to a Davis Enterprise report, of “committing lewd and lascivious acts” against two other members of Grace Valley Christian Church, located at 27173 County Road 98 on the western outskirts of Davis. Morejohn was arrested in January, 2012 while he was employed by the California Highway Patrol’s Capitol Protection Unit after allegations about his decade-previous molestations surfaced in 2011.
The case has been delayed several times since, as attorneys dickered over getting Facebook and Google to release records concerning two alleged molestation victims in the case. On December 9, Morejohn’s lawyer, M. Bradley Wishek, was back in court. He accused the Internet giants of defying Judge Richardson’s three month old order.
Facebook and Google had said they couldn’t comply due to privacy laws. Jim Snell, attorney for Facebook and Google in this case, filed a motion requesting Richardson to reconsider his September order to the Internet giants.
Prosecuting attorney Deputy DA Martha Holzapfel stated in court on Tuesday that both victims in the case gave their consent to disclose the disputed Internet records. One has yet to agree to release search items entered into his computer.
Morejohn is currently free on bail. He pleaded not guilty to 10 counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14. Judge Richardson scheduled a hearing in his court on December 19 to confirm the internet giants disclosed the records. A trial date will also be set then.
Read More: The Davis Enterprise – Davis molest case inches toward trial
