CA - Pamela Johnson, 59, murdered, Alturas, 21 Feb 2017 *Arrest, found deceased in jail*

[Auntie Cipation]

Thanks, @Niner !

I had been waiting to hear (and report to WS on) the result of the Marsden motion. If he is successful at changing attorneys once again, it will most likely delay the trial for quite a long time, since the DA leaves office in January and the incoming DA wouldn't be permitted to prosecute Vogee, so a State prosecutor would have to be brought in.

It's still possible for the trial to take place in December or early January, but the timeline is SO tight that it could easily not happen.

I have to wonder how much of this is intentional delay on Vogee's part.

Also two slight corrections to your summary: Pam was 59 not 49, and RV's first name is Robert, not Roger. Thanks for tracking this case with me! I'm hoping maybe someone might notice if RV could be linked to any earlier cases.

 

[Niner]

Thank you Auntie Cipation for the corrections! I didn't even notice his first name on the court site! DOH!

I have looked up to 10/12 on the court site & no further dates are available. So if you see any articles, please post. Wondering myself "what" happened yesterday!

 

[Auntie Cipation]

I'm curious too but haven't heard yet what happened!

I know a person who often hears comments directly from the DA or LE about how things went, and then shares them with me, but the Modoc paper is only a weekly (Thursdays) and the papers/news stations from Redding, Klamath Falls etc don't seem to be covering this story, so even when I do hear something ahead of publication, I have to wait for a news link before posting...

I have looked at the court calendar through Friday Oct. 12 but next week's isn't shown yet. Will see what is reported in the paper tomorrow.

 

[Auntie Cipation]

Paper doesn't come out until tomorrow so for now I'll just report my "opinion" that Vogee has been DENIED his Marsden motion request for a new attorney.

However, the Modoc DA, who is also prosecuting Jack Breiner for the killing of a Sheriff's Deputy, a death penalty trial that starts just about 2 weeks from now (CA - Deputy Jack Hopkins, 31, fatally shot, Alturas, 19 Oct 2016 *Arrest*), is apparently concerned that if the Breiner trial goes long enough, the Vogee trial may end up pushed back anyway, triggering the need for a State Prosecutor to step in anyway...

More tomorrow after the paper is out.

 

[Auntie Cipation]

The October 11, 2018 Modoc Record's mention of the denial of Vogee's Marsden Motion:

 

[Niner]

Auntie Cipation for keeping this case updated! Much appreciated!

 

[Auntie Cipation]

Another update / change / delay:

The Modoc DA has requested that the California Attorney General's Office take the prosecution, as he (the DA) is about to prosecute a death penalty case that is expected to take all of November, and he leaves office in January, having been ousted in the June election.

The incoming DA cannot take the case because he was formerly the public defender, during which time he was RV's defense attorney.

Is anyone familiar with the process when a State AG has to try a local case? How does it go? Does it bring a lot of publicity? (I'm appalled at how little media attention this case is getting, and in particular the apparent lack of attention to whether this was his first offense and what other cold cases might be involved).

Article from yesterday's Modoc Record:

 

[Niner]

Tuesday, Nov. 20th:
*Pretrial Conference Hearing (@ 1pm PT) – CA – Pamela Sue Johnson (59) (Feb. 20, 2017, Alturas) – *Robert Allen Vogee (59) charged with 1st degree murder with premeditation & deliberation, burglary (Pam’s house), arson (his house) & the use of a deadly/dangerous weapon. Plead not guilty.
10/9/18 Update: Marsden motion (change attorneys) has been denied. 12/10/18 trial date was vacated. Will set trial date on 11/20.
10/27/18 Update: The State Atty General will be prosecuting this case, as the present DA was voted out of office & incoming DA was Vogee’s public defender on a different case.

 

[Niner]

So I have the trial starting today, which is incorrect.... nothing on the court site for today. So I won't post it....

 

[Auntie Cipation]

So I have the trial starting today, which is incorrect.... nothing on the court site for today. So I won't post it....

No, that date was vacated a while ago. There was a trial setting hearing a week or so ago, but there was no specific trial date reported afterward in that week's paper, just a hint that it will probably be set a ways out, to give the new prosecutor (California Attorney General's Office) the time they need to come up to speed.

There were a few more tidbits I can post later, when I'm at a laptop and can make/post screenshots from the local newspaper.

But the bottom line is... ...nothing happening yet.

I'm really astounded at how much impact the lack of press makes on a case like this. If this had happened in an urban area it would be covered as a crime of enough magnitude and drama as, say, the Watts case. (Well, ok, maybe not that much, but still, a lot.) But since the local paper isn't easily read by non-subscribers, and there are no TV stations near enough to keep the public updated, it's all but invisible to everyone but the locals.

 

[Auntie Cipation]

Also, @Niner , there is one correction I just noticed on your Nov. 19 update. The former public defender who is now the incoming DA, was Vogee's initial defense atty on this same case, not on a different case as you said.

Not an especially significant detail, but worth correcting for the next update. Thanks for your diligent tracking of this and so many other cases!

 

[Niner]

@Auntie Cipation -

fr your updates too! And I have made the correction!

 

[Auntie Cipation]

OK, here are the updates I mentioned a bit ago.

First, from the Nov. 15 Modoc Record:


(summary: Vogee had his jaw broken in jail by another inmate. Per the sheriff's blotter listed on the MCSO facebook page, the assailant was charged with aggravated mayhem, which suggests to me that this was a pretty serious injury. However I've seen no mention of it affecting any scheduling.)

Then from the Nov. 29 Modoc Record:



(summary: no specific trial date was mentioned. The Modoc Assistant District Attorney is quoted as saying "The Attorney General appeared on the Vogee case last week as it's officially been transferred to their office. I believe it was set out quite a ways for a trial setting so that the AG can review the whole file and get comfortable with the facts before re-setting.")

sorry I can't seem to get the screenshots out of thumbnail mode!

 

[Niner]

again Auntie Cipation! I've looked on the court site calendar & they had it thru 12/14 no Vogee yet!

 

[Auntie Cipation]

According to the Modoc Superior Court calendar, there is a trial setting hearing scheduled for this case for Tuesday 1/29. I hear that the assigned prosecuting attorney from the State Attorney General's office will attend via phone. I don't expect them to set a trial date for anytime too soon, since the AG's office hasn't had the case that long and still needs to get up to speed.

 

[Niner]

from Court site:

Tuesday, January 29, 2019 1:01 pm Pre-Trial Conference F-17-056
People vs. Vogee, Robert Allen
#31 Trial Setting
Vogee, Robert Allen - Defendant
Cotta, Richard - Attorney for Defendant

link: Modoc County Superior Court Calendar

 

[Niner]

Tuesday, January 29th:
*Pretrial Conference Hearing (@ 1pm PT) – CA – Pamela Sue Johnson (59) (Feb. 20, 2017, Alturas) – *Robert Allen Vogee (59) charged with 1st degree murder with premeditation & deliberation, burglary (Pam’s house), arson (his house) & the use of a deadly/dangerous weapon. Plead not guilty.
Trial was to start 12/10 but delayed.
10/9/18 Update: Marsden motion (change attorneys) has been denied. 12/10/18 trial date was vacated. Will set trial date on 11/20/18.
10/27/18 Update: The State Atty General will be prosecuting this case, as the present DA was voted out of office & incoming DA was Vogee’s public defender on this case.
1/28/19 Update: Pretrial hearing 1/29/19.

 

[Auntie Cipation]

There was a hearing on 1/29/19. No dramatic news, no trial date actually set yet. The state Attorney General's office had their prosecutor sitting in by phone. The next hearing is set for March 12. He is apparently being assessed for mental status and that will be the focus of the March hearing. I can't figure out why his mental health wouldn't have been assessed promptly when this case began.

Since the articles from the local paper are behind a paywall, here are my screenshots of them:

First the article from the 1/24/19 paper, before the hearing:


Then the article from the 1/31/19 paper, after the hearing:

 

[Niner]

Auntie Cipation much appreciated!

 

[Niner]

Tuesday, March 12th:
*Pretrial Motions Hearing (@ 1pm PT) – CA – Pamela Sue Johnson (59) (Feb. 20, 2017, Alturas) – *Robert Allen Vogee (59) charged with 1st degree murder with premeditation & deliberation, burglary (Pam’s house), arson (his house) & the use of a deadly/dangerous weapon. Plead not guilty. Held without bond.
Trial was to start 12/10/18 but delayed.
10/9/18 Update: Marsden motion (change attorneys) has been denied. 12/10/18 trial date was vacated. Will set trial date on 11/20/18.
10/27/18 Update: The State Atty General will be prosecuting this case, as the present DA was voted out of office & incoming DA was Vogee’s public defender on this case.
1/28/19 Update: Pretrial hearing 1/29/19. 1/29/19: Next Pretrial Motions hearing re Vogee’s mental health plea on 3/12/19.