Joseph James DeAngelo appeared in Sacramento County Superior Court today, Thursday, August 22nd, 2019, at 1:35 PM PST for another Settlement Conference. The purpose of these Settlement Conferences is to give the prosecution and the defense an opportunity to discuss any issues, the case’s progress, and to allow either side to discuss or file a motion. Judge Michael G. Bowman presided over the hearing. Several survivors of EAR/GSK assaults and members of the EAR/GSK Proboards were in attendance.
A 600-acre fire near Shasta College and jury deliberations in a high-profile California voter fraud case prevented the hearing from being a prominent part of the news cycle, though there was little action in the courtroom today. The event lasted no more than two minutes, with no major motions or discussion topics put forth. According to the Sacramento Bee, DeAngelo’s attorney Diane Howard made a few remarks outside of the courtroom, one of which was a confirmation that she’s received discovery materials. Receiving and reviewing discovery materials is an essential step that must take place before the preliminary hearings can begin.
The next court date is set for January 22nd, 2020 at 1:35 PM PST.
A video of the hearing can be viewed at the Sacramento Bee’s website (link).