KTLA

Attorneys: O.C. Doctor Accused of Drugging, Raping Women Is Victim of Politics Related to DA’s Race

Grant Robicheaux, sitting with girlfriend Cerissa Riley in court Wednesday, was charged with drugging and raping five more women as prosecutors added felony kidnapping counts and increased bail for each of them to $1 million. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Attorneys for a Newport Beach surgeon and his girlfriend who are accused of drugging and sexually assaulting several women say the allegations against their clients were misrepresented amid a “political showdown” in last year’s race for Orange County district attorney.

In documents filed last week in Orange County Superior Court, attorneys for Dr. Grant Robicheaux and Cerissa Riley argued that prosecutors did not thoroughly review videos seized from the defendants before then-Dist. Atty. Tony Rackauckas contended last year the videos revealed evidence of possibly hundreds of instances of rape.

The videos contain no evidence of rape, the defense attorneys said.

“Despite the lack of any ‘rape videos,’ and despite the lack of any meaningful review of the videos by the prosecutor’s office, the statements that were made set off a frenzy that completely destroyed the integrity of this case and the defendants’ ability to a fair trial,” according to the attorneys.

Read the full story on LATimes.com

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