This is the second time this Preliminary Hearing has been postponed. It was postponed the first time on September 9th, 2009, and moved up to yesterday, October 19th.  Now it's been postponed again.

This writer spoke to Fara Imami, a representative at the Orange County District Attorney's office yesterday afternoon. When I asked why there was again another postponement, she replied, "To provide more time."

I am wondering why they are taking more time.  The more postponements they make, it seems to me, the longer they are all going to remain in jail.  All four defendents are in the Orange County Jail in Santa Ana at 550 North Flower Street.  Since the Women's Jail has been closed, Cara Cruz-Thompson is now in the Intake and Release Center (IRC) at the Jail facilities, and Hector Porrata, Rene Montes, and George Martinez are in the Central Men's Jail.

Now a Pre-Trial Conference is set for this next coming Monday, October 26th.  A Pre-Trial Conference is done prior to the Preliminary Hearing and Trial to provide the parties an opportunity to make sure the case is ready to proceed to trial. So, perhaps either the Defense or the Prosecutors want to make sure they are really ready for the Preliminary Hearing.

A Preliminary Hearing is like a mini-version of the Trial, in which the District Attorney strives to show the judge that he has sufficient evidence to set the matter over for Trial.  The Defense is provided an opportunity to shoot holes in the D.A.'s case with the hopes that his clients get released.

Perhaps it's the Defense that's delaying, in order to buy more time to find ways to shoot more holes in the Prosecution's case.  Who knows. 

But, Fara Imami told me to call her the afternoon of October 26th, after the Pre-Trial Conference, and she will give me the next date scheduled for the Preliminary Hearing.

Readers may write to writer Lonce LaMon at lonce@adjustercom.com