Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Steve White is refusing to allow a delay in the case of the accused Golden State Killer. On Wednesday the public defenders representing Joseph DeAngelo, who also believed to be the East Area Rapist, asked for more time to sort through over 250,000 pieces of evidence provided to them by prosecutors.
"This is not an easy call," Judge White told the attorneys. He also noted his belief that there is no case too big to go trial. The judge added that many of the victims and witnesses in the case are getting so old that they might not be able to participate in the trial if it takes much longer to get started.
The denial of the defense motion elicited applause from the those in the courtroom gallery. One man shouted, "Amen!"
The 74-year- old DeAngleo is a former police officer from Auburn. He currently faces 13 murder counts and 13 additional charges of kidnapping for robbery in connection with a series of rapes in California from 1974 to 1986. He could face a death sentence for murders connected to Sacramento County, four in Orange County, four in Santa Barbara County, and two more in Ventura County. He is suspected of over 50 sexual assaults.
DeAngelo was arrested n 2018 at his Citrus Heights home in Sacramento County based on DNA evidence from decades old crime scenes.