From the words we've seen so far from the DA's office, and the limited statements from the defense, I think they're trying to set up a game of chicken in preparation for making a plea deal.
The DA has been releasing some factual statements on the terrible conditions in the home, and has also said that he's prepared to get the siblings trial-prepped, and the defense has released a statement (I believe) saying that they don't think they can get a fair trial in Riverside. It seems to me like one side is saying, "you're not going to be able to defend against these kids being on the stand" and the other is saying, "we'll go to trial but in another county", so it feels like they might be making space in the middle for a possible plea deal to avoid the siblings going into court, but also seeing and hearing those siblings on the stand would make for a very powerful statement to the jury, combined with pictures of the shackles and the waste in the home.
...RSBM...
This was a really good post. Several of you have made interesting posts about the possibilities for plea deals or a trial.
I only wanted to add that as mixed up as California seems, they do not seem to me to prefer change of venue
(I have no link to support this opinion). OJ Simpson, Betty Broderick, Kate Steinle's killer, the Mansons, Phil Spector... too many cases to remember, they did not get a change of venue. I think the media attention will die down on this case, as it does, and the cause for change of venue will no longer exist.
ETA: I found a link.
http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-us-change-venue-082209-2009aug22-story.html
"Change of venue court cases are extremely rare
August 22, 2009
The San Diego Union Tribune
... ...Venue changes are a longshot in California, where the state Judicial Council reports that
only four of the scores of requests during the past two years have been granted.
"It's rare everywhere. Very, very rare," said Robert Weisberg, a law professor and director of the Criminal Justice Center at
Stanford University. "The court system does not like it, because they're very complicated and expensive."
Trial relocations are so uncommon nationwide that the
U.S. Department of Justice or the National Center for State Courts in Williamsburg, Va., do not keep such statistics. Nor do three of the five largest states: Texas, New York and Illinois.
To win a venue change, defense attorneys must prove that their clients cannot get justice in the county where the crime occurred. And they commonly argue that media attention or community bias preclude a fair trial. Sometimes they contend that the community is so small that potential jurors have a personal connection with the defendant.
"The burden on the defense is fairly hard," said Mike Vitiello, a professor at the University of Pacific McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento, Calif. "Counsel has to do substantial investigation, polling prospective jurors to show not only familiarty with the case but a settled view of the guilt of the defendant."..."
