Due to the recent COVID-19 surge due to the Omicron variant, and consistent with other neighboring federal and state courts, all new jury trials in San Bernardino County have been suspended, unless already in progress.
This change seems to have impacted two cases that Z107.7 News is following, the jury trials of Jonathan Linn, 57, and Jose Gomez, 28. Jonathan Linn was arrested in January of 2020 on charges related to child sexual abuse and now has his trial date set for February 7, which stands a chance of being further postponed due to the suspension. Jose Gomez was arrested in 2013 following the murder and carjacking of a Beaumont man in Yucca Valley. Gomez had his January 10 jury trial date vacated to March 14. Both men remain in custody at the West Valley Detention Center while they await trial.
More information on the arrest of Jonathan Linn: https://www.z1077fm.com/pioneertown-musician-accused-of-3-felony-sex-charges-2/
More information on the arrest of Jose Gomez: https://www.z1077fm.com/death-penaly-sought-yucca-valley-carjacking-murder/
All new criminal jury trials have been suspended through January 27 and civil jury trials have been suspended through February 22. All civil parties have been asked to meet and confer to pick a tentative trial date after February 22, and submit a stipulation to the court. If no stipulation is submitted, a new trial date will be selected at the current trial readiness conference.
The court will give preference and priority to available jurors and jury trials to criminal cases. Jury trials will be limited to those cases requiring disposition within specific periods of time. Those cases include all criminal cases, unlawful detainer jury trials, civil cases with statutory preference under the California Code of Civil Procedure sections 35-37, and civil cases approaching the 5-year deadline under California Code of Procedure sections 583.310 and 583.320.
The court may conduct a civil jury trial for cases that do not require disposition within a specific period of time at an earlier date, upon finding of good cause shown, or through the uses of remote technology, when appropriate and if feasible.
Members of the public are encouraged to frequently check SBSC’s designated COVID-19 webpage (www.sb-court.org/covid-19), and social
media accounts (Twitter and Facebook) for the latest services available to the public.
