And that gives hope to some of the couples accusers. 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. Paul Anderson of City News Service contributed to this report. [1], On October 2, 2016, a woman screamed for help and one of Robicheaux's neighbor called the Newport Beach Police Department. The two were high school sweethearts and got married not long after graduation. The woman said the drugs felt different than any of the drugs she commonly used, according to the judge. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Weitere Informationen ber die Verwendung Ihrer personenbezogenen Daten finden Sie in unserer Datenschutzerklrung und unserer Cookie-Richtlinie. The judge said he would rule by April 3, CNN affiliate KTLA reported. 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. More women say surgeon drugged and raped them. Another woman in July 2017 told police she had been raped. 9:18 AM EST, Tue February 11, 2020, Rape charges against reality TV surgeon to be dropped. City News Service contributed to this report. 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. If the judge decides to grant the prosecutors wishes, the state will move its focus to an incident that happened in April 2017. The case against the two began two years ago, withRobicheaux, 40, and Riley, 33, painted as sexual predators who preyed on vulnerable women. The poverty level is really bad out there. The charges had initially involved five victims. Clint McCall to Chief Paul M. Walters, who leads the investigative bureau at the district attorneys office. / KCAL News. They have been aware of these accusations for a number of months, and each of them will formally deny the truth of these allegations at their first opportunity in court.. First they were accused of drugging and raping women while recording their exploits on a cell phone. By subscribing, I agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. (Image credit: Audiochuck) By The Editors. [1] Following the charges, the California Medical Board opened an investigation into Robicheaux's conduct. In 2019, shortly after 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. Then the case took a bizarre turn last week when a new prosecutor said he would drop charges against the California couple citing insufficient evidence and claiming the previous DA used the case for political gain. She also said she saw Riley drink something from a contact case and thought it odd.. This is not Cerissa, Sheryl Woodruff, Rileys former mother-in-law said. Dr. Grant Robicheaux, 40, and Cerissa Riley, 34, will now face sexual assault charges involving two of the alleged victims. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. We are conducting a very thorough and independent review of the case, Martinez said. They argued that a detective misled a magistrate judge about the evidence and circumstances. Robicheaux is currently charged with sexually assaulting five women and Riley is charged with three alleged victims. Both had denied any wrong doing. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. last . Hannah Fry is a Metro reporter covering Orange County for the Los Angeles Times. The new complaint would also reportedly modify drug charges in the case to more accurately reflect the allegations, they said. 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! After Riley and Dr. Grant Robicheaux, an orthopedic surgeon who starred briefly on The Online Dating Rituals of the American Male, were charged with attacking two women, others came forward with similar allegations. Robicheaux was charged with sexually assaulting seven women, while Riley was charged with five. Weeks later, Bromberg recused himself from the case following allegations that he had mistreated defense attorneys and prosecutors during a heated court hearing. I texted her the other day, Woodruff said. View more / View fewer Facts of Grant Robicheaux. At the same time, prosecutors asked to dismiss three firearms enhancements against Robicheaux and Riley and to reduce four felony charges of drug possession for sale to misdemeanors. CNNs Dakin Andone contributed to this report. The net worth and salary of Grand is still hidden and will be published soon. SANTA ANA (CBSLA) In the latest chapter in an ongoing sexual assault case which has seen a series of twists and turns, an Orange County Superior Court judge Thursday approved a request to reduce the charges against a Newport Beach surgeon and his girlfriend. 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. Robicheaux and Riley celebrated what seemed to be their imminent freedom on national TV last week. All Rights Reserved. Then something changed, Dating in L.A. is exhausting, so I asked a chatbot to flirt for me. From . 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. 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 . The defense also argued the search warrant was stale, meaning it was sought too long after detectives responded to the claims of the women. She ran to the bathroom and locked herself inside until the morning. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Check for a confirmation email, and then you're all set with MyNewsLA.com! Firefighters Discover Man's Body While Battling Apartment Fire in South L.A. Police Investigate No-Hit Shooting in Long Beach, Coroner Identifies Woman Found Dead Near Railroad Track in Carson, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. A Warner Bros. She used charm and good looks to disarm women, get them intoxicated, and then rape them at Robicheauxs apartment. Then something changed, Dating in L.A. is exhausting, so I asked a chatbot to flirt for me. Swingers, journalist Justine Harman reexamines the case of Newport Beach surgeon Grant Robicheaux and his girlfriend Cerissa Riley. Dr. Grant Robicheaux and his girlfriend, Cerissa Riley, had their lives destroyed by the allegations, their lawyer said. 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. Dr. Grant Robicheaux and girlfriend Cerissa Riley, pictured in October 2018, were charged with drugging and raping multiple women. 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 . CNN First they were accused of drugging and raping women while recording their exploits on a cell phone. Robicheaux and Riley speak out after a prosecutor said he would drop charges. Instead, Jones removed the district attorneys office from the case and ordered it be turned over to the California attorney generals office. [1], In 2018, Robicheaux and his girlfriend, Cerissa Riley, were charged with drugging and raping multiple women in Newport Beach, California. There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Previously, he also appeared on an episode of the short-lived Bravo reality show Online Dating Rituals of the American Male in April 2014. She said that when she went to their home, she was so drunk she needed help to get inside and that she was given an unknown powder and pill by Robicheaux, which relaxed her and made her drowsy, Fish wrote. Klicken Sie auf Alle ablehnen, wenn Sie nicht mchten, dass wir und unsere Partner Cookies und personenbezogene Daten fr diese zustzlichen Zwecke verwenden. Instead, Jones removed the district attorneys office from the case and ordered it be turned over to the California attorney generals office. Officials also determined that Kearns should receive additional training on report writing. Dist. Robicheaux received his medical degree from Louisiana State University and completed his residency at University of California, Irvine Medical Center. 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. Before her arrest, Riley worked three different jobssales agent by day, dance instructor by night, and substitute teacher when she could pick up a shift. The net worth of Grant is still to get unfold yet. Well send you the latest headlines every morning and every weekday afternoon. The Newport Beach surgeon who once appeared on a cable-network reality show pleaded not guilty, along with his girlfriend, to charges of drugging and sexually assaulting multiple women in attacks that were allegedly recorded on cell phone video.Photo by Paul Bersebach/Digital First Media/Orange County Register via Getty Images). Prosecutors from the attorney generals office announced in May that they wanted to focus the case on just one woman. [1] The case gained international attention because Rackauckas implied that there were up to one thousand victims. No matter what.. [3] Later, Rackauckas said that he had been misunderstood, that he did not mean to suggest there were up to one thousand victims, and that they were instead reviewing up to one thousand videos of possible victims. However, there are a . Edds said in a statement Thursday that the office has been cooperative with the state attorney general and has turned over all discovery in their possession. 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. Robicheaux and Riley told Good Morning America they participated in a swingers lifestyle. "This case is a complete travesty," the woman told Ospino. 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. 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. Later, at his home, she did more drugs with him, including ketamine, and when they attempted to have sex he could not do so, the judge wrote. In that incident, Robicheaux allegedly began chatting with the woman on a dating app. 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. We believe there may be many unidentified victims out there, Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas said this week. A $300-million (minimum) gondola to Dodger Stadium? Got a tip? He received media attention in 2018 after he was accused of drugging and sexually assaulting multiple women. Atty. conduct a review of all the evidence collected in the case. All Rights Reserved. The two saw each other just six months ago, when the young woman was acting in a play. Last February, after Mr Spitzer ousted Mr Rackauckas, he announced his intention to drop the charges against the couple and compelled prosecutors to apologise to the couple and question the claims of the victims. The following month, Spitzer's office was removed from the case and replaced by the California AG. That case was bolstered by new allegations that drugs were used in that attack. In an another alleged incident in October 2016, a womans loud screams spurred neighbors to call 911. 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.'. 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.. In May, prosecutors made a request to dramatically scale back the criminal case, . 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. Its completely unfair to the victims in this case.. Spitzer has ensured the attorney general has unrestricted access to all district attorney personnel to aid in its review of the case and to answer any questions or provide clarification, she said. Spitzer accused his predecessor, Rackauckas, of possible prosecutorial misconduct: sensationalizing the case and driving it forward as a publicity stunt to further his own re-election efforts. They slept in these tents; they were camping; they would all sleep in those rooms with bunk bedshostels. [1] The woman immediately contacted the police the next morning to report that she had been assaulted and a subsequent test of her blood showed multiple controlled substances in her body. 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. 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.. [4] As of August 2021, Robicheaux was charged with sexually assaulting two women and Riley was charged with three alleged victims.[2][4][6]. Its hard for them to make these reports about things that were so very humiliating in the first place then have to relive the pain, he said. Required fields are marked *. Todd Spitzer sought to dismiss rape charges against a Newport Beach surgeon and his girlfriend last year based on a review of evidence in the case that a team of senior investigators in his office later found to be flawed, according to an internal memo. City News Service , News Partner Posted Fri, Aug 20, 2021 . Get our latest storiesin the feed of your favorite networks. of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs, wrote in an email to Walters in October that the directive probably intimidates Kearns from sharing necessary details about the case with prosecutors without fear of reprimand. Grant Robicheaux is an American surgeon who appeared on an episode of the 2014 Bravo reality show Online Dating Rituals of the American Male. Defense attorney Philip Cohen, who is representing Robicheaux, declined to comment on the memo. [3] Robicheaux was charged with sixteen felonies, including sexually assaulting seven women and Riley was charged with sexually assaulting five women. And they said Riley played an important role. Wenn Sie Ihre Auswahl anpassen mchten, klicken Sie auf Datenschutzeinstellungen verwalten. I feel like I can breathe again.. But they insisted none of the women theyd had a sexual relationship with were too inebriated to consent. The case was reassigned to the California Attorney General's Office last year after O.C. Adam E. Chaikin, an attorney for the Assn. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. Also, the criminality addressed in this specific statute concentrates on the womans ability or capacity to give consent. 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. The details about of Grant is not published in the sites and will be updated soon on his body features. Dr. Grant Robicheaux, 40, and Cerissa Riley, 34, will now face sexual assault charges involving two of the alleged victims. 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. They have both pleaded not guilty and have denied that anything that happened was not consensual. The judge in the case had asked the state to file a brief explaining why it planned to dismiss certain charges before he made a decision. Last month, Orange County Superior Court Judge Steven Bromberg dismissed charges related to allegations lodged by two of the seven women after they told prosecutors they had been dragged through the mud by the Orange County district attorneys office and no longer wanted to participate in the case. Both Robicheaux and Riley have previously pleaded not guilty to the charges and remain free on bail. When Mr Rackauckas was overseeing the case, he incorrectly predicted that there could be as many as 1,000 victims. Early life and education LAGUNA BEACH, CA - OCTOBER 17: Dr. Grant Robicheaux, and his girlfriend Cerissa Riley listen during their arraignment at the Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach, CA on Wednesday, October 17, 2018. 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. He received media attention in 2018 after he was accused of drugging and sexually assaulting multiple women. 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. Grant Robicheaux, 40, and girlfriend Cerissa Riley, 34, were accused of drugging and sexually assaulting multiple women. 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. Sign up here for our free newsletters. The new charges will involve downsizing the cases to at least two alleged . The couple have pleaded not guilty and have denied any nonconsensual sex. The request, however, was denied by Orange County Superior Court Judge Gregory Jones. [1] The woman stated that they drank alcohol together at a Newport Beach bar until the alleged victim was unconscious. Atty. 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. A judge in Orange County, California, has approved a request to drop almost all counts against a surgeon and his girlfriend who have been accused of drugging and raping multiple women. In a daylong hearing last Thursday, Judge Frank Ospino heard arguments from attorneys for the alleged victims and defendants, as well as the prosecutors. Authorities said the couple may have attempted to assault women at several festivals and camp sites along the west coast, including the Burning Man Festival, Dirtybird Campout Festival, Splash House Festival, and various tourist landmarks around Page, Arizona. Even though the prosecution and defense actually agree in this case, the judge isnt so certain. The couple has been charged with more than half a dozen crimes, including rape by the use of drugs, assault with intent to commit a sexual offense and possession of a controlled substance for sale. Supervisor, defeated Rackauckas in the DA's race in November of 2018. Thats unlikely to improve anyones mental health, Opinion: Why my Taiwanese American identity has become more complicated, 7 hospitalized after driver in stolen car runs red light in San Bernardino, police say, Barstow police investigating after officer caught on video hitting man with a baton, Northern California town on edge after second fatal stabbing in a week. Grant Robicheaux is an American surgeon who appeared on an episode of the 2014 Bravo reality show Online Dating Rituals of the American Male. The charges had initially involved five victims. She joined the newspaper in 2013 as a reporter for the Daily Pilot, a Times Community News publication. But Riley and Robicheaux, an orthopedic surgeon and former reality TV show personality, arent guaranteed freedom. [1] Robicheaux and Riley were each released on a $100,000 bail. That woman said she met the defendants at a bar, and at some point she felt as if she blacked out at the bar and awoke later on the floor of the residence associated with the defendants and remembers a man hitting her in the face and someone else kicking her in the head, Fish wrote. [4][5] Robicheaux was also accused of possessing two illegal, unregistered assault rifles, four other firearms, and several large-capacity magazines. The same day, the Orange County district attorneys office made a motion to dismiss the case in front of Superior Court Judge Gregory Jones. A previous motion indicated that an independent review indicated that some allegations could not be proved beyond a reasonable doubt. Ms. Riley could spend 30 years behind bars. He earned his medical degree from Louisiana State University in 2007 and did his residency at UC Irvine Medical Center. Dr. Grant Robicheaux and his girlfriend, Cerissa Riley, had their lives " destroyed. She sings beautifully, Woodruff said. She grew up in Orange County and got her start as an intern at the Orange County Register. Prosecutors asked to dismiss 10 sex crime charges involving six of Robicheauxs seven accusers. 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! Breaking news for Los Angeles, Orange and Riverside counties. The defendants actions of facilitating the victims excessive consumption of alcohol and drugs to ultimately prevent her from possessing the ability to resist sexual intercourse was the underlying motivation for their behavior, state prosecutors wrote in their motion. The request, however, was denied last year by Orange County Superior Court Judge Gregory Jones. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. Since charges were filed in September 2018, the couples lives have been in shambles, their attorney Thomas M. Ferlauto said. Dr. Grant Robicheaux and Cerissa Riley initially were charged with drugging and raping seven women. At one point the California Attorney General's Office took over the case from the Orange County District Attorney's Office after it determined that District Attorney Todd Spitzer and Tony Rackauckas, a political rival and his predecessor, used the case to further their own political ambitions. 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. This document was the final determination of a personnel investigation into whether an investigator included all pertinent exculpatory information in her police reports.. 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. 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. He along with his girlfriend, Cerissa Riley has been charged with drugging and then sexually assaulting two women. Prosecutors alleged that Robicheaux, often with the help of his girlfriend, Cerissa Riley, lured the women in, then drugged . Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much One alleged victim told Ospino she was "exhausted" by the twists and turns in the case over the past three years, including the recent surprise decision by Orange County Superior Court Judge Steven Bromberg to recuse himself from the case. The then-district attorney admitted that media attention would help his re-election but denied making any decisions based on his political aspirations. 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 . She joined the newspaper in 2013 as a reporter for the Daily Pilot, a Times Community News publication. Ultimately, they determined there was insufficient evidence. Gen. Yvette Martinez said her office is still reviewing documents to ensure theyve received all evidence in the case. They went to help the homeless, to give back to the community, Rileys ex-sister-in-law said. After the request was granted, only the charges stemming from two alleged victims are still intact. A prosecutor told an Orange County Superior Court judge. The pair have both pleaded not guilty to the amended charges. Prosecutors have reportedly interviewed at least 13 alleged victims. Robicheaux and his girlfriend, Cerissa Riley, stood accused of multiple rapes in Newport Beach, Calif. By dismissing rape charges against them, prosecutors will concentrate on a 2017 sexual assault charge against the two. Please enter valid email address to continue. [1] He is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon. MyNewsLA.com wont sell your information and you can unsubscribe at any time. The criminal charges against the pair stem from two alleged incidents in 2016. It was never a question, Robicheaux said. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, prosecutors painted the couple as sexual predators. 2. Back in September of 2018, Robicheaux and Riley were charged with 17 counts each, including rape by use of drugs, oral copulation by anesthesia, assault with intent to commit sexual offense and possession of a controlled substance for sale. Tony Rackauckas filed charges against Robicheaux and Riley, painting them as sexual predators who used their good looks to prey on vulnerable women, drug them and take them back to their Newport Beach home to sexually assault them. Whoops! Spitzers review of the case came under scrutiny during a personnel investigation into an investigator at the district attorneys office, Jennifer Kearns. This is not the girl I know and have known since she and my son went to high school together., Woodruff first met Riley in the late 2000s, when she and her son, Chad, were in school together at Villa Park High School in Orange County. ), At Willie Nelson 90, country, rock and rap stars pay tribute, but Willie and Trigger steal the show, Concertgoer lets out a loud full body orgasm while L.A. Phil plays Tchaikovskys 5th, Plaschke: Lakers live up to their legacy with a close-out win for the ages, L.A. Affairs: I had my reasons for not dating white men. Sie knnen Ihre Einstellungen jederzeit ndern, indem Sie auf unseren Websites und Apps auf den Link Datenschutz-Dashboard klicken. Still cant believe this happened to us, Robicheaux said. If convicted on all counts, Riley faces up to 30 years in state prison; Robicheaux could . There is no such thing as advanced consent., Fish added, In any event, the consent arguments made by the defense do not detract from the finding made by the magistrate.

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