Golden State Killer (New York Daily News Pix)
Seventy two year old Joseph DeAngelo appeared in a Sacramento Courtroom yesterday, absent his wheelchair, to hear a judge put off a decision on whether to let the press and public see the details of the arrest and charges against him concerning several murders and rape charges stemming back to the 70a s and 80a s. DeAngelo, named the Golden State Killer and East Area Rapist is being charged by prosecutors but his public defender Diane Howard has not entered a plea for DeAngelo as yet, and is fighting the Press court proceeding attempting to keep the charges and circumstances leading up to his arrest sealed. Prosecutors have searched DeAngelo’s home in a suburb outside Sacramento and recently obtained warrants to search his cell phone and computer. They just turned over information about what evidence they already have gathered to Howard.
The parties will be back in court May 29 to argue over what should be made public. Prosecutors don’t object to unsealing the records. District attorneys from Sacramento, Santa Barbara, Orange and Ventura counties met last week to discuss where DeAngelo may be tried and who will prosecute. But they made no decision and plan to meet again in late June.