But former district attorney Rackauckas denied Spitzers claim that he used the case for political gain. Dr. Grant Robicheaux, 40, and Cerissa Riley, 34, will now face sexual assault charges involving two of the alleged victims. A Warner Bros. Things got weird fast, Opinion: California wants more psychiatric detentions. Grant Robicheaux, left, and Cerissa Riley, the Newport Beach doctor and his girlfriend accused of drugging and raping multiple women, listen during a hearing in Orange County Superior Court on . The wedding was gorgeous, Woodruffs daughter, who did not want her name used, told the Daily Beast. Prosecutors claim Robicheaux and Riley administered drugs in order to engage in sexual intercourse with an incapacitated victim. They also allegedly gave the woman cocaine and PCP. Over three months, the prosecutors looked at thousands of photographs and videos that had been taken from the couples computers, hundreds of hours of audio recordings, thousands of pages of documents and tens of thousands of text messages between Robicheaux and Riley spanning a four-year period. A previous motion indicated that an independent review indicated that some allegations could not be proved beyond a reasonable doubt. We want to hear from you! The high-profile case has been embroiled in controversy since it began two years ago when then-Orange County Dist. March 31, 2021 In her new Audiochuck podcast, O.C. He earned his medical degree from Louisiana State University in 2007 and did his residency at UC Irvine Medical Center. She ran to the bathroom and locked herself inside until the morning. This document was the final determination of a personnel investigation into whether an investigator included all pertinent exculpatory information in her police reports.. He cited the politics interjected into the case in a tense election between Spitzer and his predecessor, Tony Rackauckas. And they said Riley played an important role. [Riley] was literally sleeping in the street. A $300-million (minimum) gondola to Dodger Stadium? But Riley and Robicheaux, an orthopedic surgeon and former reality TV show personality, arent guaranteed freedom. Send us a tip using our annonymous form. Superior Court Judge Gregory Jones refused District Attorney Todd Spitzer's request to dismiss the case outright. She grew up in Orange County and got her start as an intern at the Orange County Register. Robicheaux was charged with sexually assaulting seven women, with Riley charged with five assaults. She grew up in Orange County and got her start as an intern at the Orange County Register. In court filings, prosecutors have alleged that Kearns omitted pertinent information from reports she wrote about the case and claimed she led a whisper campaign to exaggerate evidence in favor of prosecution. The new charge would involve two women instead of the previous five. The then-district attorney admitted that media attention would help his re-election but denied making any decisions based on his political aspirations. Why is Frank McCourt really pushing this? [1] The case gained international attention because Rackauckas implied that there were up to one thousand victims. EARLIER: State prosecutors moved on Friday to dismiss several rape charges against Dr. Grant Robicheaux, who starred on an episode of the 2014 Bravo reality show Online Dating Rituals of the American Male. At the time, they said they didnt have enough evidence to prove allegations beyond a reasonable doubt related to the other women who have accused the couple of drugging and raping them. Those shortcomings led prosecutors for Spitzer to make arguments in court for why the charges against the couple should be tossed out that contained numerous unsupported allegations, misstatements, untruths, and factually wrong conclusions, McCall wrote in the memo. The charges had initially involved five victims. [1] The police later stated that they had suspicions but we did not have positive identity at the time of the reports. In a daylong hearing last Thursday, Judge Frank Ospino heard arguments from attorneys for the alleged victims and defendants, as well as the prosecutors. In a joint statement, the couples lawyers denied the charges. Robicheaux is currently charged with sexually assaulting five women and Riley is charged with three alleged victims. According to prosecutors, Mr Robicheaux and his girlfriend, Cerissa Riley, lured women into their lives, drugged them and raped them. However, prosecutors told Judge Frank Ospino on Friday that they now intend to move forward with two of the original seven women whom Grant Robicheaux, 40, was accused of sexually assaulting. Why is Frank McCourt really pushing this? At the time, then-Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas said that Robicheaux and Riley would meet their victims at local bars and restaurants, drug them and then take them home and sexually assault them. Prosecutors have reportedly interviewed at least 13 alleged victims. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Ospino also told attorneys that he wants to hold a preliminary hearing by the end of the year to determine whether the case, which has faced repeated delays, can proceed to trial. Grant Robicheaux and Ceriss Riley appear outside of court on Wendesday, October 17, 2018. drop charges against the California couple. Even though the prosecution and defense actually agree in this case, the judge isnt so certain. "O.C. Swingers" Is Your New Favorite Chill-Inducing Podcast Early life and education The details about of Grant is not published in the sites and will be updated soon on his body features. California Woman who accused Newport Beach doctor of rape asks judge not to dismiss charges Dr. Grant Robicheaux and his girlfriend, Cerissa Riley, who are charged with drugging and sexually. And, they would go for months at a time. In 2014, Rileys husband left her, leaving her broken, her ex-sister-in-law said, adding, She had to learn how to live without someone shes known for years.. Wenn Sie Ihre Auswahl anpassen mchten, klicken Sie auf Datenschutzeinstellungen verwalten. If convicted on all counts, Riley faces up to 30 years in state prison; Robicheaux could . Bei der Nutzung unserer Websites und Apps verwenden wir, unsere Websites und Apps fr Sie bereitzustellen, Nutzer zu authentifizieren, Sicherheitsmanahmen anzuwenden und Spam und Missbrauch zu verhindern, und, Ihre Nutzung unserer Websites und Apps zu messen, personalisierte Werbung und Inhalte auf der Grundlage von Interessenprofilen anzuzeigen, die Effektivitt von personalisierten Anzeigen und Inhalten zu messen, sowie, unsere Produkte und Dienstleistungen zu entwickeln und zu verbessern. In their free time, the group would head out to Huntington Beach or Los Angeles, Rileys former in-laws said, and start performing on the street. Usually Hooks performances were local, but in the early 2010s Riley and her ex-husband made several missionary trips abroad to Budapest, Hungary. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. It was never a question, Robicheaux said. A judge in Orange County heard arguments from attorneys for the couple and for the alleged victims and prosecutors last week, after which one alleged victim said they were "exhausted" by the thought the case could take years to prosecute. There is also video evidence suggests that there could be hundreds of other women who may not realize they were victims. Rackauckas said he believed the womens complaints based on the evidence he had. I feel like I can breathe again.. They were accused of drugging women they would meet at various Newport Beach venues and then taking them to their Newport Beach home to sexually assault them. Please reload the page and try again. Charges relating to two of the women were dropped in July at request of the alleged victims, according to BuzzFeed News. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much Prosecutors say a California dance instructor was one half of a serial date-rape team who would make targets feel comfortable and safe and then help her doctor boyfriend drug and sexually assault them. First they were accused of drugging and raping women while recording their exploits on a cell phone. New DA says he wants to drop charges against Robicheaux and Riley. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. According to the state attorney general's office, at least three victims said they no longer wanted to partake in the case because they were "dragged through the mud" but the Orange County district attorney's office. The new charges will involve downsizing the cases to at least two alleged . She was a member of the Associated Students Board at their high schoolan important job, the daughter said, because she was entrusted with overseeing a part of the schools budget. Todd Spitzer announces in February that he plans to drop all charges against Newport Beach doctor Grant Robicheaux and his girlfriend, Cerissa Riley. Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said the case against the couple was fueled by his predecessor, Tony Rackauckas, trying to gain support for his re-election campaign. Ultimately, they determined there was insufficient evidence. The woman said she had trouble recalling everything that happened, but she was able to dissuade Robicheaux from engaging in a particular sex act, but that she did not resist overall because she was afraid of angering the pair, Fish wrote. The judge said he would rule by April 3, CNN affiliate KTLA reported. Grant and Cerissas lives were destroyed by the prior administrations misuse of the justice system, Ferlauto, the couples attorney, said. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Surgeon who appeared on reality TV dating show is accused of sexual assault and preying on drugged women, conduct a review of all the evidence collected in the case. Former reality TV show doctor Grant Robicheaux and his girlfriend Cerissa Riley speak out about the charges that were dropped after an investigation by the n. AboutPressCopyrightContact. Atty. Orange County Dist. DA Todd Spitzer held a shocking news conference in which he said that he had assigned new prosecutors to the case after he took office, and their review found no evidence of unconscious women being assaulted. Internal memo criticizes O.C. district attorney's review of Robicheaux Grant Robicheaux, a surgeon once locally dubbed "bachelor of the year" and whose dating escapades were featured on a Bravo reality show, was originally accused by seven women of crimes including rape and sexual assault. She was a beautiful girl., Prosecutors said she and Robicheauxan orthopedic surgeon once named Orange Countys Most Eligible Bachelor, who used the alias InGoodHands on a Bravo series about online datingused their good looks to lure women back to their home.'. Murphy and others also criticized the decision by district attorney officials to bar Kearns from speaking to anyone from the attorney generals office about the case without a supervisor present. Subscribe to Deadline Breaking News Alerts and keep your inbox happy. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), OC Superior Court - Photo courtesy of the OC Courts' website. Hannah Fry is a Metro reporter covering Orange County for the Los Angeles Times. In April of that year, a woman identified in court papers only as Jane Doe 1, reported to Newport Beach Police that Riley and Robicheaux met her at a bar, invited her to a party, took her back to their apartment and forced her to participate in sexual acts when she was intoxicated beyond the ability to consent. If convicted on all counts, Riley faces up to 30 years in state prison; Robicheaux could see up to 40. The group later went to a bar, and prosecutors allege the alleged victims drinks were drugged. From . He along with his girlfriend, Cerissa Riley has been charged with drugging and then sexually assaulting two women. Spitzer accused his predecessor of overreaching on the case to bolster his reelection campaign and moved to have the charges dropped. Then, people would stop them on the street and ask, What are you doing? and they would get to talk to them about the word of God, Woodruff told the Daily Beast. The top-to-bottom review of the case against Grant Robicheaux, 40, and Cerissa Riley, 33, ordered by Spitzer was incomplete and contained inaccurate and misleading information, according to the memo. I didnt create this situation, but its my responsibility to fix it, Spitzer said. Both Robicheaux and Riley have previously pleaded not guilty to the charges and remain free on bail. The California surgeon and his girlfriend accused of drugging and - CNN She said a day before she had consensual sex with both defendants and that she went to a concert the next day with the doctor, and they both did cocaine, Fish wrote. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The Times reviewed a redacted copy of the memo, which was filed in court Thursday. Mr Spitzer, who was campaigning against Mr Rackauckas at the time, accused the district attorney of delaying the couple's arrest to drum up media coverage, which he alleged would help his opponent's campaign. The judge also noted that a victim can be so intoxicated to the point where she cannot resist, where she cannot consent or where she cannot withdraw prior consent. Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in, Surgeon was at one time the subject of Bravo reality TV show focused on his dating escapades, Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile. They slept in these tents; they were camping; they would all sleep in those rooms with bunk bedshostels. Discovery Company. Certainly, any prosecutor should think long and hard before dismissing such a case where multiple women have independently come forward and subjected themselves to the hard process of (baring) their souls to the authorities.. The criminal charges against the pair stem from two alleged incidents in 2016. Reduced Charges For Reality Doctor, Girlfriend: Newport Rape Case UPDATE: An Orange County judge has approved a request by prosecutors to reduce charges against a Newport Beach hand surgeon and his girlfriend, who have been accused of drugging and raping multiple women. A $300-million (minimum) gondola to Dodger Stadium? I just feel terrible for the women who had the courage to come forward and give their evidence to the authorities in this case, the former DA said. It took us a year of planning.. Former Reality TV Star Surgeon Accused Of Rape Gets Charges - Deadline The net worth and salary of Grand is still hidden and will be published soon. Prosecutors expect to move forward in doctor drug-rape case This internal memo was not a legal review of the evidence against Grant Robicheaux and Cerissa Riley or their innocence or guilt, she said. The attorney general, not this office, determines who state prosecutors talk to and when.. CNNs Dakin Andone contributed to this report. She joined the newspaper in 2013 as a reporter for the Daily Pilot, a Times Community News publication. Hannah Fry is a Metro reporter covering Orange County for the Los Angeles Times. For three years, the case against the once-Bravo Reality television star, hand surgeon Grant Robicheaux, and his girlfriend Cerissa Riley have wreaked havoc on the Orange County court system. Judge dismisses some charges in rape case against California doctor and The move means Dr. Grant Robicheaux, who starred on an episode of the 2014 Bravo reality show Online Dating Rituals of the American Male, and Cerissa Riley are now facing charges involving only two alleged victims. During a pretrial hearing Thursday, Deputy Atty. The judge also ordered discovery to be turned over to the alleged victims attorneys so that we could evaluate the facts of the case, which, quite frankly, we havent had access to at this stage of the game, Fell said. Grant was born in California in the year 1976. On Friday, the judge in the case asked the state to file a brief explaining why it plans to dismiss certain charges before he makes a decision. The memo and the internal divisions it highlights mark another twist in a case thats been embroiled in controversy for the last two years. Attorneys for Dr. Grant Robicheaux and Cerissa Riley argued that the warrant to search the residence at 202 44th St. for drugs and DNA should be quashed and anything found during the. Your email address will not be published. Get our latest storiesin the feed of your favorite networks. Atty. The net worth of Grant is still to get unfold yet. Rackauckas said the victims in video appeared highly intoxicated, "beyond the ability to consent or resist," and that the women were barely responsive to sexual advances by Robicheaux and Riley. Things got weird fast, Opinion: California wants more psychiatric detentions. At one time, Robicheaux was charged with harming seven victims and Riley with five. Please enter valid email address to continue. In January, police obtained a search warrant for the couples residence and found large quantities of illegal narcotics, including date-rape drugs, ecstasy, and cocaine, along with unregistered firearms, high quantity magazines, and some assault weapons, prosecutors said. Both Riley and Robicheaux were freed on $100,000 bail, and return to court on Oct. 25 for an arraignment. [4][5] Robicheaux was also accused of possessing two illegal, unregistered assault rifles, four other firearms, and several large-capacity magazines. Its completely unfair to the victims in this case.. The two were arrested at Dr. Robicheauxs home in Newport Beachon, southern California on September 12, 2018, and are accused of drugging, sexually assaulting and raping women. Klicken Sie auf Alle ablehnen, wenn Sie nicht mchten, dass wir und unsere Partner Cookies und personenbezogene Daten fr diese zustzlichen Zwecke verwenden. The motion indicated that an independent review indicated that some allegations could not be proved beyond a reasonable doubt. Dr. Grant Robicheaux, 39, and Cerissa Riley, 32, of Newport Beach, appeared Friday in a taped interview on ABC's "Good Morning America." "I feel like I finally woke up from a bad nightmare . The idea was to have something odd happening, so people who were down and out, like homeless people, would stop and they would have a chance to evangelize.. Swingers, journalist Justine Harman reexamines the case of Newport Beach surgeon Grant Robicheaux and his girlfriend Cerissa Riley. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, prosecutors painted the couple as sexual predators. The move means Dr. Grant Robicheaux, who starred on an episode of the 2014 Bravo reality show Online Dating Rituals of the American Male, and Cerissa Riley are now facing charges involving only. Woman who accused Newport Beach doctor of rape asks judge not to Spitzer announced that his office would request that charges against Robicheaux and Riley be dismissed after a review of the case found a lack of evidence and a mishandling of the case by the previous DA. They May Never Get Their Day In Court", "Judge scales back charges against Orange County doctor, girlfriend in sex assault case", "A Wealthy Surgeon Accused Of Drugging And Raping Women Is No Longer Facing Rape Charges", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Grant_Robicheaux&oldid=1151980723, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 27 April 2023, at 12:26. A woman purporting to be his girlfriend clearly played a significant role in disarming the victims, making them feel comfortable and safe.. I feel like I finally woke up from a bad nightmare, Riley told ABCs Good Morning America in an interview that aired Friday. August 26, 2021 / 11:22 AM Supervisor, defeated Rackauckas in the DA's race in November of 2018. The attorneys also focused on what they characterized as subsequent shifting opinions on probable cause by Detective Marie Gamble that came to light in a related civil suit that a defense attorney has used to gather more evidence to defend his clients in the criminal case. Also, the criminality addressed in this specific statute concentrates on the womans ability or capacity to give consent. However, after considering Spitzer's request, in June of 2020 OC Superior Court Judge Gregory Jones announced that he would not dismiss the charges. Robicheaux received his medical degree from Louisiana State University and completed his residency at University of California, Irvine Medical Center. Former Bravo Reality TV Star Surgeon Accused Of Drugging - Yahoo Woman describes Tinder terror date with charged California surgeon [1] Rackauckas also stated that there were additional videos, saying, "There are a substantial number of videos. He received media attention in 2018 after he was accused of drugging and sexually assaulting multiple women. Atty. EARLIER: Prosecutors said Friday that intend to go forward with a new complaint charging a former reality star and his girlfriend. Still cant believe this happened to us, Robicheaux said. City News Service contributed to this report. Convoluted Case Against Reality Show Doctor, Girlfriend Continues Another woman in July 2017 told police she had been raped. Grant Robicheaux, left, and Cerissa Riley, the Newport Beach doctor and his girlfriend accused of drugging and raping multiple women, arrive at Orange County Superior Court Harbor Justice Center . Paul Bersebach/Orange County Register Via AP, Days Of Our Lives Star Victoria Grace Withdraws From Daytime Emmys Nominations After Huge Misunderstanding Regarding The Rules, Mike Shannon Dies: Emmy-Winning Broadcaster For St. Louis Cardinals Was 83, Legal Battle Over Guitarist Johnny Winters Music Heats Up, Stanley Tucci Talks About His Oral Cancer Battle: I Had A Feeding Tube For Six Months, Online Dating Rituals of the American Male, The Issues, The Stakes, Movies & TV Shows Affected, How Long It Might Last, Netflix Lands Adam McKays New Comedy Average Height, Average Build, Plumbs Another Domestic Win At $38M; Karting Past $1 Billion Global, Serious Moments For Media Give Way To Satire & Mirth; Biden & Wood Remarks. ( Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Previously, he also appeared on an episode of the short-lived Bravo reality show Online Dating Rituals of the American Male in April 2014. But instead of granting that motion, as many expected, the judge took it under submission and allowed more time for all parties to present more facts, Fell said. We believe there may be many unidentified victims out there, Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas said this week. Ospino indicated he intends to rule next week on the prosecutors request to pare down the charges. By subscribing, I agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. My client believes in her heart of hearts that she was the victim of sexual assault, said attorney Michael Fell, who represents a woman known as Jane Doe #4. Got a tip? Officials also determined that Kearns should receive additional training on report writing. Breaking news for Los Angeles, Orange and Riverside counties. Signup for Breaking News Alerts & Newsletters. Adam E. Chaikin, an attorney for the Assn. [1], In February 2020, Todd Spitzer won the election for District Attorney, taking over Rackauckas's position. City News Service contributed to this report. The two were high school sweethearts and got married not long after graduation. In court filings prosecutors have alleged Kearns omitted pertinent information from reports she wrote about the case and claimed she led a whisper campaign to exaggerate evidence in favor of prosecution. Since charges were filed in September 2018, the couples lives have been in shambles, their attorney Thomas M. Ferlauto said. Grant Robicheaux and girlfriend Cerissa Riley are shown outside an Orange County courthouse in 2018. Couple speaks out after charges of victimizing female - YouTube Newport Beach surgeon Grant Robicheaux and his model girlfriend appeared in court for a preliminary hearing on Thursday after a judge recused himself from case as victims spoke about how they. Originally Mr Robicheaux faced 16 felony charges from the victims, and Ms Riley faced five charges. I never made a single decision or statement about the case for any political motive, Rackauckas said in the statement to CNN last week. How Palm Springs ran out Black and Latino families to build a fantasy for rich, white people, 17 SoCal hiking trails that are blooming with wildflowers (but probably not for long! They have both pleaded not guilty and have denied that anything that happened was not consensual. This is not Cerissa, Sheryl Woodruff, Rileys former mother-in-law said. Dist. If they were convicted of the charges, Dr. Robicheaux faces up to 40 years in prison. In 2019, shortly after Todd Spitzer took over as the countys top prosecutor, he assigned two deputy district attorneys to conduct a review of all the evidence collected in the case. She used charm and good looks to disarm women, get them intoxicated, and then rape them at Robicheauxs apartment. The woman, described as in her 20s, woke up in the couples home during the sexual assault. An attorney representing the couple declined to comment Friday. Yearbooks from the school indicate Grant Robicheaux was a 1999 grad . The woman said she told the couple she was having her period, in an effort to prevent them from initiating sex, but Robicheaux had sex with her after her clothes were taken off and Riley filmed part of it, Fish wrote. Judge drops nearly all charges against reality TV star surgeon who Ms. Riley could spend 30 years behind bars. The district attorney says photos from the surgeons phone indicate there could be many more unidentified victims. View more / View fewer Facts of Grant Robicheaux. If the judge decides to grant the prosecutors wishes, the state will move its focus to an incident that happened in April 2017. Four years later, the divorce has still not been finalized, but the split is amicable, and Riley remains very much a part of her family, Woodruff said. Riley gave the woman a drink and the trio went to a bedroom, where the woman blacked out and later woke up next to Robicheaux, Fish wrote. 2023 Cable News Network. Were trying to be cooperative, but Ive got to tell you nobody from the AGs office has talked to my clients, he said during the hearing. An Orange County Superior Court judge on Wednesday granted a. The poverty level is really bad out there. The couple have pleaded not guilty and denied any nonconsensual sex. The couple got involved in the congregation of Calvary Chapel Anaheim, a nondenominational church in Orange County, and often did outreach and missionary work in the local community. conduct a review of all the evidence collected in the case. ), First published on August 26, 2021 / 11:22 AM. Rackauckas claimed investigators had about 1,000 of these videos on the suspects' phones. Fry most recently covered breaking news for The Times and was part of the team that was a 2020 Pulitzer finalist for its coverage of a boat fire that killed 34 people off the coast of Santa Barbara.
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