Expendable For A Cause.

We found some interesting items when we accessed the case files during our stay in Los Angeles.

Because of that, we’ve been able to add more insight into the work already done, whether that is regarding the time Maria Hernandez really saw her attacker (spoiler: it wasn’t eight seconds, it was two) or the statement of facts showing how Halpin defied the court and refused to bring in Robert Christansen to be cross-examined over his ballistics report; the report that did not match the story the prosecutor was relaying.  We also discovered additional information regarding Tsai-Lian Yu and Jennie Vincow and have posted about those.

Other things we found were, for want of a better word, “incidentals”, little snippets of information that we hadn’t seen before as they weren’t in the public arena, and apart from giving some insight into the years between arrest and trial, they don’t actually add anything of consequence to the case itself.  They pique our interest, nothing more.  One such item was the letter written by Richard to Judge Morrow, sellotaped to a sheet of paper and filed away, forgotten for years.

Here is another: an ex parte order per Judge Morrow that we thought might interest you, too. At first glance, we assumed it was a visiting order like any other. We don’t know why the post-it note is on it or why Judge Morrow wanted it “kept separate from the others” but that flash of yellow amongst the sheaf of documents made us look a little closer.

Papers and Post-it Notes

“Court orders that witnesses Noemi Navarrete and Rosario Flores may visit with the defendant on 11-3-86 in the company of defense counsel Arturo Hernandez and Danilo Hernandez in the attorney visiting room at the Los Angeles County Jail”. (spelling discrepancies are within the document)

There are a few reasons why this is particularly interesting. The court order refers to both Nohemi, whom Richard had dated before he left for California, and Rosa as witnesses. This led us to think that perhaps they were going to be called as character witnesses, as we know Rosa was subpoenaed, leaving the possibility that Nohemi had been as well. Neither were called to trial to testify on Richard’s behalf. 

The meeting took place in the attorneys visiting room, where they would have privacy and wouldn’t have to converse with a sheet of plexiglass between them via telephone. It also shows us that Nohemi was visiting Richard just over a year after his arrest and her news interview in which she told reporters that she did not believe that Richard was the Night Stalker.

Another intriguing matter is the order itself. As I understand it, ex parte orders are issued without notifying the opposing party and are issued in emergencies where time is of the essence. Typically issued in family situations where there might be a danger, threats of harassment, and in parental cases if a child might be in a precarious situation.  They may also be issued in cases of mental health and can be filed if it is thought that someone may require a medical evaluation.  Did Rosa have concerns about her brother’s state of mind?  If so, she was right, although that doesn’t explain Nohemi’s presence.

Unfortunately, beyond that basic description, I don’t know any more about ex parte orders (other than what an internet search can tell me) or why this one was issued in Richard’s case; it is just another frustrating question that we don’t have the answer to, but nonetheless, I thought that you all might be curious to see it.