I just did a post on the motion to continue by the District Attorney and receipt of subpoenaed records in sexually violent predator Richard Stobaugh's case. So this post will be only be an update with new information from today's hearing.
At 8:17 a.m., Judge Kaleb Cockrum asked Deputy District Attorney Whitney Timm if she wanted to come inside the courtroom. She was here waiting outside Courtroom.2. I was here early since Judge Cockrum had not made a decision on my media request yesterday. This morning I was told that Judge Cockrum is going to address media requests in open court. I don't know yet if KRCR/KAEF NorthCoast News request has been granted. In my media request, I wrote that I hope my blunt coverage of Judge Cockrum will not impact my media request. Once again, Judge Cockrum used his courtroom to waste time and show he has power when he could have denied and granted the requests just as every other judge. He usually cites specific law. He did not today.
8:22 a.m. Public Defender Luke Brownfield was let into the courtroom.
Dates have changed. There are three more hearings scheduled. The next hearing is on for receipt of subpoenaed records. That update will be added to this post.
You can decide after you read my coverage from today if Judge Cockrum is being fair in his decisions regarding other media and me and whether he is being fair to the DA and the public. Even Mr. Brownfield was fair and had the same objection to media requests. Judge Cockrum's denial of my media request but allowing KRCR's request which the same law he cited would apply to shows he is punishing me because I covered facts left out by other media. He is punishing me because I reported about his ruling in Trevor Earley was overturned on appeal.
There is no law prohibiting taking a photo of a convicted sexually violent predator. Then his denial of yet another request by Ms. Timm about public access shows he is on a power trip and petty and being selective about who he choses to punish. He is using his robe to punish who he wants in the courtroom.
Unlike Judge Cockrum, I didn't publish a complaint about him because I apply the same criteria to all news tips. This claim is setting off some red flags, there is no evidence to corroborate was claimed. To that person, I am not the Commission on Judicial Performance. That is the agency who gets paid to protect the public and hold judges accountable. There is nothing in what was sent to me so far that indicates there is anything to what you claim, let alone it being newsworthy.
Judge Kelly Neel in the Daryl Jones case gave valid reasons for denying the media requests and also made the same decision for both KRCR and me.
Let's see if the pattern to only deny me continues. In the past, my media requests have been granted.
NorthCoast News was not in the courtroom. No other media was in the courtroom.
When the courtroom opened, Judge Cockrum first addressed receipt of subpoenaed records requested by the DA. He told Ms. Timm that "madame clerk had checked this morning and there are no additional records in the Court's file."
Ms.TImm told Judge Cockrum the State Department told her records would be ready today.
California Department Jane Hu said, "I haven't received copy of records." She offered to assist Ms. Timm. Either Ms. Hu or another attorney will appear at the 5/20 hearing which is for receipt of the same records.