Several trials are scheduled to start today and I was at the courthouse this morning checking on the three I have covered regularly. No other media has covered the other two cases and no other media has regularly followed homicide suspect Destinee Rhamy's case.
Ms. Andrea Sullivan was appointed to represent Rhamy. It was good to see her back in Humboldt County this morning. Ms. Sullivan represents clients all over California and recently had a trial conclude in Riverside County.
Deputy District Attorney Roger Rees is the prosecutor for this case.
The trial had been assigned to Retired Humboldt Superior Court Judge John Feeney. Jury selection is taking place in Courtroom 5 which was closed this morning except to attorneys and Rhamy so I didn't get a chance to confirm if it is still Judge Feeney. He was in Courtroom 2 last week and is still in that courtroom this week. E court said Judge Lawrence Killoran. This afternoon I checked and the trial judge for Rhamy is Judge Killoran.
I have linked previous coverage in this post including two previous Marsden motions Rhamy tried and were denied. I only include this because Rhamy is now all chummy with Ms. Sullivan this morning. My trial coverage will only include posts on the trial.
Mr. Rees and Ms. Sullivan went in 9:56 a.m. with Rhamy who is out of custody. Rhamy had a younger woman waiting with her before the courtroom opened who left and said, "see you later."
Also sitting outside the courtroom were Victim Witness Advocate MH with the mother of Holland Renee Elbik. Jury selection was delayed until 11, since they were waiting on three or four jurors who were on their way to the Courthouse. The jurors started coming up to the second floor and entered the courtroom at 11:08 including a local civil lawyer and a Humboldt Superior clerk supervisor. This supervisor is a experienced clerk who is still doing her work each day before jury selection and until the trial in Courtroom 5 starts each day.
Just to address any gossip or rumors because I know the second floor well; I will disclose this since there were other people around who can vouch. I talk to attorneys and I talk to court staff all the time. At one point this morning, Ms. Sullivan was using the court computer and she was with Rhamy so I did not go in the room. When I saw Ms. Sullivan go into Courtroom 5, I went to use the computer and Rhamy said, "Andrea is logged in." I told Rhamy that Ms. Sullivan was in the courtroom and then Rhamy left.
Elbik's mother heard me talking to people. She asked, if I was John Chiv. I said yes. She told me, " I read your blog" and said others follow my coverage and thanked me which was very kind considering this is a difficult time for her. Survivors, victims, even defendants and their families follow my coverage. "If it wasn't for you; I would not have information" is what I hear all the time. It is for these readers that I put up with the hatred, nastiness, unwarranted attacks and hours of uncompensated work.
I told Elbik's mother I was sorry to meet her under these circumstances and I would talk to her after the trial.
Nothing I said to Rhamy or the victim's mother has anything to do with the case. Potential jurors who know me say hi. I explain that other than pleasantries, why we should talk after they are excused or after the trial.
I should not have to explain myself after 12 years but this is Humboldt and anyone who has followed my coverage regularly or has been on the second floor of the Humboldt courthouse knows fiction is truer than the lies and smears spread in that toxic building and not just about me.
