It was never a question, Robicheaux said. A hearing for Robicheaux and Riley had been set for July 20, but will need to be rescheduled due to a time conflict with an upcoming trial, the judge wrote in his order Wednesday. Your IP: The Fullerton school district did not immediately return a request for comment. The two had been accused of assaulting a number of women back in2016, however reports say the charges againt the couple have been dropped. After 2 years, these ladies are entitled to leave this case if they so wish.. Dear Abby: I have a great life, so why have I fallen into this shameful behavior? But instead of granting that motion, as many expected, the judge took it under submission and allowed more time for all parties to present more facts, Fell said. Dear Abby: Am I overreacting to my European daughter-in-law's behavior? While sources say Robicheaux and Riley havent let the arrests get them down, Rackaukckas said theres no telling how many women they may have assaulted in the trove of footage recovered. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. Dr. I dont recall this ever happening in the 25 years that Ive been practicing law in Orange County., Spitzer and two of his staff prosecutors spent the morning insisting to the judge that the case against Robicheaux and Riley was not provable. Robicheaux and Riley were both released on $100,000 bond on September 17. Your email address will not be published. If only he wasnt a pompous ahole, I would have loved the guy, Hayden said. Prosecutors alleged that Robicheaux, often with the help of his girlfriend, Cerissa Riley, lured the women in, then drugged them, and raped them. February 4, 2020. District Attorney Todd Spitzer to drop the charges has allowed her to breathe again and she feels like shes finally awoken from a nightmare. Three of the alleged victims want to be removed from the case, according to prosecutors, and Judge Steven Bromberg said in his ruling that he understands why they are asking to be removed from this case as alleged victims., Bromberg noted that a declaration from investigator Jennifer Doss on why two of the women wanted out of the case was sparse, nevertheless, it is adequate and to the point. Check out more on Riley below. According to People, she has also worked in sales. On Sept. 11, the comely duo was arrested for allegedly drugging and sexually assaulting two women in 2016. Six months later, another woman was allegedly assaulted after meeting the couple at a bar. 9:18 AM EST, Tue February 11, 2020, Rape charges against reality TV surgeon to be dropped. An Orange County Superior Court judge on Wednesday granted a. His girlfriend, Cerissa Riley, 33, faces three counts of rape among 13 charges in connection with assaults that previous prosecutors alleged took place in Robicheaux's Balboa Peninsula home . Todd Spitzer of sabotaging the prosecution. I never made a single decision or statement about the case for any political motive, Rackauckas said in the statement to CNN last week. Host virtual events and webinars to increase engagement and generate leads. I cant remember a couple doing this together.. Your Invited to Chad and Cerissa's Wedding! I certainly expected it to get a lot of publicity, yes, Rackauckas said. On Sept. 11, Robicheaux was charged with rape by use of drugs, oral copulation by anesthesia or controlled substance, assault with intent to commit a sexual offense, possession of a controlled substance for sale and possession of an assault weapon, according to the Orange County District Attorneys Office. Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas has spoken starkly about the case, describing the suspects as purusing their prey, whom they may have targeted online. took the rare step of removing local prosecutors from the case and transferring it to the California Attorney Generals Office. The couple has maintained their innocence from the start, and Riley told Good Morning America the decision by O.C. They are accused of working in tandem to supply drugs to their victims and then sexually assault the women while they were unable to consent, District Attorney Tony Rackauckas said in the press release. She was divorced in 2017, according to Orange County court records. Pin. One of the alleged victims dubbed them Bonnie and Clyde. (The current charges against the couple relate only to the two women who have filed police reports. The couple slipped the drug GHB into her drink, which caused her to pass out, and she awoke while she was being sexually assaulted, prosecutors had alleged. DNA from coffee cup leads to arrest in decades-old rapes An alleged victim described them as a Bonnie and Clyde team, according to the Los Angeles Times, citing court documents. The story he told of a telegenic couple who lured women with their looks, slipped drugs into their drinks and sexually assaulted them generated widespread coverage. We know some victims might blame themselves, they might feel theres no crime to report because they knowingly drank alcohol or consumed illegal substances with the defendants. It might be Spitzer saying, Rackauckas brought this case, and its a dog and it is probably a loser, and I dont want to take the loss for him, Levenson said. 1,456 Followers, 276 Following, 50 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Ceri Riley (@rhinoceri) Shes having some drinks, she feels more intoxicated by the drinks than would ordinarily be expected, pretty soon shes very intoxicated and hardly knows whats going on. Since charges were filed in September 2018, the couples lives have been in shambles, their attorney Thomas M. Ferlauto said. She wasnt the first woman; allegedlyCerissa and Grant did the exact same thing to another woman in October that same year. Grant Robicheaux, 40, and girlfriend Cerissa Riley, 34, were. She said she wants to motivate, support and encourage my students to be healthier and active throughout their life., Riley said in the video, From teaching beginner dancers to elite dancers, my goal is to teach adolescents to always try their best in all that they do. Shes a very, very good person, said the 30-year-old, adding that he and Cerissa used to evangelize on the street, traveling as far as Hungary to perform religious skits. D.A.'s office investigator Jennifer Kearns alleges in the lawsuit filed in Orange County Superior Court, that Spitzer colluded with Grant Robicheaux and Cerissa Riley's defense attorneys while "engaging in a concerted political campaign to undermine the prosecution, discredit the victims, and ultimately destroy the criminal case" against the . The Web site of his former medical group, NewportCare, said he converted his Southern gentlemanly upbringing naturally into a comfortable caring bedside manner., When Robicheaux appeared on the 2014 Bravo show Online Dating Rituals of the American Male, he came across as a perfectionist looking for a cookie-cutter wife to give him two kids. Grant Robicheaux, left, and Cerissa Riley, the Newport Beach doctor and his girlfriend accused of drugging and raping multiple women, arrive at Orange County Superior Court Harbor Justice Center . Both Robicheaux and Riley . But Spitzer, Rackauckas opponent and former protege, wasted no time in attacking Rackauckas for the timing of the rape charges. Marlene Ricketts is the loving and supportive wife of T.D. Jane Doe #1 then took aim at Spitzer, saying he had never met with her and that his office had given her scant notice less than 10 minutes before the news conference at which he apologized to the man who raped me., Zimmer, one of the prosecutors, responded to Jane Doe #1s statement by telling the judge: Its not that we dont believe her., The judge shot back: But a jury might believe her.. Rackauckas said at Tuesdays press conference that they do not have details about Rileys teaching career and did not know if she was still employed as a teacher. Your email address will not be published. An Orange County Superior Court judge on Wednesday granted a motion by prosecutors to dismiss charges related to two alleged rape victims in the case against a Newport Beach hand surgeon and his girlfriend, who are accused of drugging and sexually assaulting several women. The district attorneys office said Robicheaux and Riley met the second victim at a Newport Beach bar on October 2, 2016. They have been charged with 13 and 11 felonies, respectively, including oral copulation with anesthesia, rape by drugs and assault with. The divorce records show that Riley and her ex-husband did not have any children together. Cierra & Reilly {Wedding by Tessa} Tessa, Wedding / October 8, 2021 October 8, 2021. We talked about him for the entire date. The judge said he would rule by April 3, CNN affiliate KTLA reported. Chad says he spoke briefly with Cerissa since she has been charged and she asked for his support. According to prosecutors, Cerissa, 31, and the 38-year-old Robicheaux in essence used their looks and charm to put woman at ease in social settings then abused them at Robicheauxs home once they were too incapacitated by drugs or alcohol to resist. His 31-year-old girlfriend, Cerissa Riley, was a pretty dance instructor who had moved in with Robicheaux this year. A video posted on YouTube by Riley in January 2016 shows her and Robicheaux on a trip to Mexico. 33-year-old Cerissa Laura Riley born in 1987 as Cerissa Gillian from Orange County, California. Cerissa was born in 1987, to Raymond and Sondra Lea Gillian ages 76 and 75, respectively. We believe that if victims come forward, we would be able to identify them as victims based on the videos and other circumstances, the district attorney said at the press conference. In 2018, then-District Attorney Tony Rackauckas accused Robicheaux and Riley of meeting women at restaurants and bars in Newport Beach before drugging them and luring them to Robicheauxs apartment to sexually assault them. Powered by. Real Bride Carissa I. Attorneys representing most of the women fought back against the request to dismiss the charges, accusing Spitzer of colluding with Robicheaux and Riley to sabotage the case. Meet Kelby Zorgdrager, this remarkable tech guy is a MSU graduate, founder of Keep Reading Marlene Ricketts The attorney very cleverly didnt ask questions about motivation, Rackauckas said. L.A. has a new answer, Epic snowpack upends rhythms of life for many species in Sierra Nevada range, Decades of failures leave L.A. County facing up to $3 billion in sex abuse claims, Most California colleges dont offer rape kits on campus. 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The prior District Attorney and his chief of staff manufactured this case and repeatedly misstated the evidence to lead the public and vulnerable women to believe that these two individuals plied up to 1,000 women with drugs and alcohol in order to sexually assault them; and videotape the assaults, Spitzer said in a blistering statement. Following the . Yes, Zimmer replied but it wasnt enough to prove the case. Its a terrible thing when the elected district attorney has so politicized a case that the judge doesnt accept at face value that youre seeking justice, said Brian Gurwitz, a former prosecutor and longtime defense attorney who is unaffiliated with the case. The website said, Through out his career Dr. Robicheaux has had several publications, given numerous talks and received multiple awards all while staying involved in resident education and training as well as his professional and local communities. Prosecutors from the attorney generals office have said previously they wanted to chip down charges to one alleged victim in the case against Dr. Grant Robicheaux, 40, and Cerissa Laura Riley, 34. If you believe you have been a victim, or have information related to the crime and about the defendants, please call Supervising Investigator Eric Wiseman at 714-347-8794, the district attorneys office said. Up Next in news. An Orange County Superior Court judge Friday recused himself from the case involving Grant Robicheaux and Cerissa Riley, the Newport Beach couple accused of drugging and sexually assaulting several women. The thing that Grant doesnt seem to realize is that he is very clearly in love with his roommates girlfriend Oh, P.S., all three of them live together., The website states Robicheaux, has a plan: to find the perfect woman, have a fantasy wedding and raise the All-American family. A California surgeon who once appeared on a Bravo TV dating show and his girlfriend are accused of drugging and raping two women and authorities believe there could be many other victims. State prosecutors have acknowledged that the case has become a political firestorm. During recent hearings they have told the judge that they werent saying they dont believe the women, but have instead determined they cannot prove the criminal allegations they are trying to drop. Riley graduated from Chapman University in Orange with a degree in dance and worked as a dance teacher for junior high and high school students, according to a video on her YouTube channel. He received media attention in 2018 after he was accused of drugging and sexually assaulting multiple women. Riley faces up to 30 years. But we do see is that there is bar, the couple is in a bar, Cerissa introduces her, meets the lady and then introduces her to Robicheaux and then they invite her to a party. In one case, the party was on a boat, Rackauckas said. Cerissa is a former substitute teacher who last worked in one local district in 2016. According to prosecutors, Cerissa, 31, and the 38-year-old Robicheaux in essence used their looks and charm to put woman at ease in social settings then abused them at Robicheaux's home once. She covered the California Supreme Court and the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. from As of October 2017, Riley was studying education at California State University, Fullerton. Last year, current-District Attorney Todd Spitzer announced there wasnt enough evidence to proceed with the case. Lauren Hayden, 24, recalls a first date she had with Robicheaux last year at his $2 million home in Newport Beach in Orange County. Bromberg told prosecutors they must use due diligence at the highest level and attempt to contact Jane Doe 2 once again to determine if Jane Doe 2 truly wishes to no longer participate in the present case.. But the Orange County District Attorney's Office on Tuesday said there isn't evidence to prove such a case against them. 2023 Vimeo.com, Inc. All rights reserved. 38-year-old Grant Robicheaux and 31-year-old Cerissa Riley were arrested for the alleged 2016 incidents. In a deposition as part of the womans civil suit, Cohen asked Rackauckas about the videos seized from Robicheauxs house. This case was filed in Orange County Superior Courts, Lamoreaux Justice Center located in Orange, California. (During a search, police found drugs, including GHB, ecstasy and cocaine, at Robicheauxs home. She wasnt the first woman; allegedly Cerissa and Grant did the exact same thing to at least seven others. On February 7, 2020, Cerissa and Grant, sat down for an interview with ABC, saying that they finally can start over, since the charges against them were dropped. I suppressed this horrible experience., Jane Doe #1 said she decided to approach prosecutors after she saw that Robicheaux had been charged in September 2018, but felt guilty because, she said, I didnt stop him when I could.. We dont want this to happen to any other woman. No. A woman purporting to be his girlfriend clearly paid a significant role in disarming the victims and making them feel comfortable and safe. I feel like I can breathe again.. But former district attorney Rackauckas denied Spitzers claim that he used the case for political gain. She was previously married to Chad Riley, who is nowadays engaged to Anthony Aglio. I think there probably are, Rackauckas replied. Cerissa Riley and Grant Robicheaux are said to have met a string of women at bars before drugging and sexually assaulting them. Its not about video evidence or politics, Rackauckas said. I told him that I was trying to find a partner for life and that jumping into bed would not get me there, said Hayden, who works as a math and physics tutor. Robicheaux does not have a prior criminal record and Rileys record only includes traffic citations. She fought hard and tried to win me back, Chad said. His book You Will See Fire: A Search for Justice in Kenya, based on his Times series, was published in 2011. In September 2018, the pair were arrested and initially charged with drugging and sexually assaulting two women in 2016. According to Rackauckas, he had a reputation as a fine doctor and one who was sought after., Added a lawyer whose wife was a Robicheaux patient, Hes good-looking, smooth. EARLIER: Prosecutors said Friday that intend to go forward with a new complaint charging a former reality star and his girlfriend. Grant Robicheaux and Cerissa Riley at the Newport Beach courthouse Friday morning. In May, prosecutors made a request to dramatically scale back the criminal case, asking to dismiss charges related to all but one, or possibly two, alleged victims. Support our coverage by becoming a digital subscriber. Would a case like this create a lot of publicity? ), At Willie Nelson 90, country, rock and rap stars pay tribute, but Willie and Trigger steal the show, Concertgoer lets out a loud full body orgasm while L.A. Phil plays Tchaikovskys 5th, Plaschke: Lakers live up to their legacy with a close-out win for the ages, L.A. Affairs: I had my reasons for not dating white men. We've received your submission. Chad Riley, This is the wedding invitation video to Chad and Cerissa's wedding!!! The couple pleaded not guilty and denied having nonconsensual sex with their accusers. Robicheaux was billed as Grant R. on the show. As soon as it hit the news in 2018, the sensational serial-rape case against Newport Beach hand surgeon Grant Robicheaux and his girlfriend, Cerissa Riley, became tangled in a bitter political feud between Orange Countys top prosecutor and the man who would succeed him. Rackauckas said he believed the womens complaints based on the evidence he had. Cerissa Riley: Grant Robicheaux is an American surgeon who appeared on an episode of the 2014 Bravo reality show Online Dating Rituals of the American Male. Heres what you need to know about Grant Robicheaux and Cerissa Riley: Orange County DACerissa Riley and Grant Robicheaux in February 2017. According to her former husband, she's a devout Christian. Dr Grant Robicheaux and Cerissa Riley. They take her to his apartment and perform all of these sex acts on her. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. Build a site and generate income from purchases, subscriptions, and courses. If the judge were to deny the request to dismiss some of the remaining charges, there is disagreement about what could happen if the attorney generals office then decides to walk away from the case. Its important to understand that rapists can look like anyone. Bravo/YouTubeGrant Robicheaux on the Bravo reality dating show. Robicheaux and Riley celebrated what seemed to be their imminent freedom on national TV last week. He then completed his residency at the University of California, Irvine, and spent a year as a fellow at the New York University Hospital for Joint Disease. He said thousands of videos and photos were found on Robicheauxs phone, many showing the couple having sexual contact with unconscious women. Jason McGahan. Meanwhile, Rackauckas said the couple used their looks and status to gain the trust of the alleged victims. Or the wolf can be a beautiful woman.. A victims advocate then read a longer, more detailed statement from an accuser referred to as Jane Doe #1, who said Robicheaux attacked her in 2009. Law enforcement investigating this case believe there may be additional victims. The judge said he would rule on the prosecutors motion to amend the complaint and to dismiss all counts as to Jane Doe 2, 1 and 7 at the next court hearing, which has yet to be scheduled. So thats the general way that weve seen it., Rackauckas said at the press conference, women who have encountered these two might have felt a false sense of security due to the fact that both defendants are clean cut and good looking. New DA says he wants to drop charges against Robicheaux and Riley. Its very scary and weird.. In 2014, Grant Robicheaux appeared on the short-lived Bravo reality TV series, Online Dating Rituals of an American Male, as one of two participants on the fifth episode of the shows lone season. As CrimeOnline previously reported, prosecutors accused Grant Robicheaux, 40, and his girlfriend, Cerissa Laura Riley, 34, of drugging and raping mostly women. A California native, she graduated from UC Berkeley and has worked in Washington and Los Angeles for The Times. July 16, 2011. CNNs Dakin Andone contributed to this report. Dr. Grant Robicheaux and girlfriend Cerissa Riley, pictured in October 2018, were charged with drugging and raping multiple women. Woodruff first met Riley in the late 2000s, when she and her son, Chad, were in school together at Villa Park High School in Orange County. Cerissa Riley was charged with 13 felonies, including rape. They separated in 2013 after Chad came out as gay; divorce proceedings are ongoing. I just feel terrible for the women who had the courage to come forward and give their evidence to the authorities in this case, the former DA said. Judge Jones also took the rare step of removing local prosecutors from the case and transferring it to the California Attorney Generals Office. She lost consciousness while drinking with them and woke to Robicheaux and Cerissa attempting to rape her at his home. Marlene Ricketts Top Facts about Joe Ricketts Wife, Elliot Grainge 5 Facts About Sofia Richie Husband, Corinne Foxx 5 Facts About Jamie Foxx Daughter, Tom Pelphrey 5 Facts About Kaley Cuoco Boyfriend, Bader Shammas 5 Facts About Lindsay Lohan Husband. Dr. 2. At first, he seemed the stereotype of an egotistical doctor, she said. His profile said he was looking for a wife, Hayden added. They can be either gender., He continued, This morning, my office is announcing the filing of charges and arrest of well-known orthopedic surgeon Grant Robicheaux and his female companion Cerissa Riley. US state prosecutors have asked a judge to dismiss most sex crime charges filed against a reality TV doctor and his girlfriend, who are accused . The same day, the Orange County district attorneys office made a motion to dismiss the case in front of Superior Court Judge Gregory Jones. On the way to graduating at the top of his medical school class, he was the schools Vice-President and the Surgical Society President, along while accumulating numerous awards and scholarships. My client believes in her heart of hearts that she was the victim of sexual assault, said attorney Michael Fell, who represents a woman known as Jane Doe #4. California woman jumps out third-story window to escape vicious pimp, prosecutors say Grant William Robicheaux, 38, and his girlfriend Cerissa Laura Riley, 32, face multiple charges including: rape by drugs, oral . Updated Discovery Company. Bromberg granted the prosecutors motion to dismiss charges related to two of the women, but defers on ruling on the other woman at this time. I remember thinking his life was really exciting. Do you believe theres about a thousand or so victims of sexual assault/rape depicted on the electronic media? Cohen asked. Did you take into consideration the corroborating value of the drugs? the judge asked. To throw that out based on the claim that the statement about the videos was exaggerated doesnt make any sense., Laurie L. Levenson, a Loyola Law School professor and former federal prosecutor unaffiliated with the case, said the case might have hinged on questions regarding witnesses credibility, and concern that they are going to get torn up on cross-examination.. They also found two illegal, unregistered assault rifles, four other firearms and several large capacity magazines, which Robicheaux is accused of possessing. More than one victim said they dated him and that he was very pushy and, by the third date, he raped them, the DA said. One of the worst days of my life was when I was raped by Grant Robicheaux, the woman wrote, saying she was a first-year law student at the time and did not initially report the incident because she feared it would derail her career and hurt her parents. Required fields are marked *, Don't forget to check the Photo Gallery & Video. Furthermore, 33-year-old Cerissa Laura Riley born Cerissa Gillian from Orange County, California previously married to Chad Riley, who is nowadays engaged to Anthony Aglio. She screamed and a neighbor called 911, court documents say. CNN First they were accused of drugging and raping women while recording their exploits on a cell phone. More women say surgeon drugged and raped them. Shes not a monster.. February 5, 2020. Robicheaux is a 38-year-old Newport Beach resident who appeared on the Bravo show Online Dating Rituals of the American Male in 2014. Chad Riley, who married Cerissa in 2011 before they split two years later, said his high-school sweetheart and Robicheaux fostered dogs from a local animal shelter and had plans to marry. I know in my heart of hearts that I was sexually assaulted that night and that I will never be the same, the woman wrote. The couple repeatedly denied the allegations. Robicheaux also completed his undergraduate degree in biological sciences at LSU. She is a good person, Chad tells PEOPLE. According to her ex, she was also a devout Christian. His expertise also extends to athletic and overuse injuries about the lower extremity, as well as joint replacement. Detectives submitted the case to the Orange County District Attorneys Office for review on September 6 and after charges were filed on the 11th, the couple was arrested on September 12, the DA said. The initial charges involved two accusers, though after the case became public other women came forward, and charges involving five additional women were filed. Cerissa, also charged on Sept. 11, faces the same felony counts as Robicheaux with the exception of possession of an assault weapon. They both thank their families and friends for their continued support, the statement from the couples attorneys said. After the charges were made public, more than a dozen women came forward with similar accusations. Crime and Public Safety | Her alleged actions do not reflect the values of our company. Other videos show Riley providing instructions for childrens dance performances and directing those dance recitals. Lead Photographer: Tessa Smucker Second Photographer: Victoria Walters Ceremony & Reception Venue: Drumore Estate. Then something changed, Most of Yosemite Valley is closed due to potentially perilous snowpack and flooding, What was behind the protest against an archaeologist at last weeks L.A. Times Book Festival, Column: If not cops or guns, what will it take to make us feel safe? Some appear to be intoxicated to the point of unconsciousness or near unconsciousness, the district attorney said. We went into the Jacuzzi, and he tried tearing off my bathing-suit top. City News Service is the nations largest regional wire service and is headquartered in Los Angeles. Its a joint venture, for sure, Rackauckas said. Still cant believe this happened to us, Robicheaux said. Performance & security by Cloudflare. An Orange County Superior Court judge on Wednesday dismissed some of the criminal charges against a Newport Beach doctor and his girlfriend who were accused of drugging and raping seven women, after prosecutors indicated that two of the alleged victims no longer want to be involved in the high-profile case. MeetCerissa Riley; she is the girlfriend of Dr.Grant Robicheaux the orthopedic surgeon, graduate of Louisiana State University and a star on Bravos reality show Online Dating Rituals of the American Male back in 2014. His office could not prove that the defendants believed their accusers incapable of sexual consent, he said. This does not match up with the Cerissa that Chad Riley knows.