Bullock special set this afternoon to determine trial date

A special trial setting hearing at 3 p.m. in the Gary Lee Bullock case is scheduled this afternoon in Courtroom 1 in the Gary Lee Bullock case.

Judge John Feeney has been the judge overseeing the case since Bullock's arraignment. Mr. Andrew Isaac and Ms. Stacey Eads are co-prosecuting the case for the People. Mr. Kaleb Cockrum is Bullock's attorney. Three court appointed expert witnesses have been appointed to do a pyschological evaluation since Bullock added a not guilty by insanity plea to his original plea of not guilty.


March 10 post:

Judge John Feeney met privately with Andrew Issac who is prosecuting the Gary Lee Bullock case and Bullock's attorney Kaleb Cockrum this afternoon. At the last court hearing, Mr. Isaac said the People plan to add a car jacking charge.

Ms. Stacey Eads is co prosecuting the case for the People but was not present in court today.

Only LOCO, TS, KAEF, the attorney's; the family's attorney Kathleen Bryson, one community member and myself were in the courtroom when the court was reopened.

On March 4, I did this post: http://johnchiv.blogspot.com/2015/03/could-this-be-johnson-case-mr-andrew.html

That case People v Johnson was the case and the decision by the California Supreme Court the basis for Judge Feeney granting the People's decision request to add a special allegation to Count 1 of murder.

Judge Feeney said the car jacking special allegation "would be appropriate considering the Supreme Court decision in People v Johnson."

When given a chance to speak on behalf of Bullock, Mr. Cockrum said, "I've read Johnson. It completely rewrites carjacking and divorces it from normal definition of carjacking but I don't have cause to object."

Judge Feeney said he would not set a trial date today but another private conference and trial setting date has been scheduled for March 26 at 3 p.m.

Dr. Ana Glezer, Dr. John Chamberlain,  both from Univ of CA and Dr. John Greene from Los Gatos, California are the three expert witnesses who will evaluate Bullock and report to the court.

Based on court schedule and the time needed for the experts to evaluate, Judge Feeney said "We are looking at a trial date in mid-September or late October."

Bullock listened with no emotion as Judge Feeney read the charges against him with the additional allegation. Again, he read the same not guilty insanity plea that he read previously and just stared blankly at Judge Feeney.

Both attorneys have to prepare and submit paperwork for funding the experts by March 22 to Judge Feeney. Several resumes were submitted by both the People and the defense. Mr. Issac will prepare the materials the expert witnesses will consider which Mr. Cockrum will review before they are provided to experts.

To add the carjacking charge, the People filed their first amended information today.

Judge Feeney reiterated what he said to Bullock when he first read the not guilty by insanity plea. That even if he,was found not guilty by insanity, it could mean a possible sentence lifetime comittment to a mental institution.

Previous post  to March 10:

http://johnchiv.blogspot.com/2015/03/special-allegatoon-of-carjacking.html

There is extensive coverage of this case on this blog.