Retrial for man accused in Orick woman's death moved back a month
by Kara Machado, 5/22/2007
Humboldt County Superior Court Judge Timothy Cissna decided Monday to move Joseph Pierre Rollin’s trial from June 8 to July 9.
The request to push the trial over one month was brought before Cissna by Rollin’s attorney, Humboldt County Deputy Public Defender Mike Eannarino.
Eannarino said he needed more time to prepare for trial by acquiring the services of expert witnesses.
As of Monday, Eannarino said he was closing in on possibly two expert witnesses.
Humboldt County District Attorney Paul Gallegos did not object to the continuance. However, he commented in court that the defense was “sparse on details” about why it needed its expert witnesses or “what the purpose (would be for) its expert witnesses.”
After Cissna vacated Rollin’s previous court dates and set new ones, he recommended Eannarino get his expert witnesses posthaste so there wouldn’t be a need for another continuance.
Monday’s decision was made a week after Eannarino initially brought up the request for a continuance. Rather than make a decision then, Cissna opted to hold off on a ruling on the continuance until Monday in order to give Eannarino more time to come up with a time frame.
Rollin’s case is being retried after being overturned on appeal — he was previously convicted in connection with the 2002 death of Orick resident Joi Henderson Wright.
According to past reports, Rollin’s conviction was overturned in December due to Humboldt County District Attorney Paul Gallegos using Rollin’s non-Mirandized denial of responsibility as evidence against him.
During his court appearance Monday, Rollin sat in the back section of the courtroom’s jury box, his left wrist cuffed to another inmate.
Rollin, who typically wears wire-rimmed glasses with dark lenses during court proceedings, is a tall, lanky man with curly, bushy salt-and-pepper hair.
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