Accused killers Tami Huntman, Gonzalo Curiel to be tried separately

UPDATE 1/10/2018 3:45 p.m.: Tami Huntsman and Gonzalo Curiel, the Salinas couple accused of abusing and killing two children, will now be tried separately in court. This, as we’re learning heinous new details about the deaths of Shaun and Delylah Tara in 2015.

Scott Erdbacher, Huntsman’s attorney, said in court Wednesday the case is too complex and he won’t be ready for another nine months. However, Curiel’s attorney, Arthur Dudley, is ready to go now.

Prosecutors argued for one trial as soon as possible, believing it would be even more damaging to have the key witness, the surviving victim, face her alleged abusers and testify twice.

On Wednesday, prosecutors revealed the surviving victim, the children’s older sister, has survivor’s guilt. They say the three children were repeatedly starved, beaten, exposed to cold water and locked in a bathroom in Huntsman’s apartment. The victim, identified as Jane Doe, once tried to escape with her siblings but the attempt failed.

They say Shaun and Delylah died on Thanksgiving 2015, after Jane Doe, who was apparently starving, stole a bagel. That led to a brutal beating and the eventual death of her siblings.

The prosecution has already lost two witnesses in the case – One died of cancer, the other had a stroke.

Prosecutors were against have two trials, citing the time, money and energy for the second trial. They also want to make sure both defendants have a fair trial with impartial jurors.

“If we do two trials, the person who has the second trial is going to have a jury who may have been watching the evening news and see what happened in this case,” explained Deputy District Attorney Steve Somers. “So it’s harder to pick a jury, to find jurors that have open minds if they’ve seen, ‘Oh, we saw Mr. Curiel was either convicted or acquitted’ or whatever happens in Mr. Curiel’s case. All of the potential jurors, or many of the potential jurors in Ms. Huntsman’s case may know, they may have heard about the facts in that case and it might be harder to find a jury that has an open mind so that’s a concern.”

Curiel’s trial is slated to begin on March 5. The month-long trial could have more than 100 witnesses. Huntsman’s trial is set for October 15.

On February 9, Judge Pamela Butler will decide whether to include the evidence found in the Redding storage locker, where the children’s bodies were discovered.

ORIGINAL POST: A judge decided Wednesday that accused child killers Tami Huntsman and Gonzalo Curiel will be tried separately.

Scott Erdbacher, Huntsman’s attorney, said he wouldn’t be ready for trial until October. Arthur Dudley, Curiel’s attorney, said he was ready for trial now.

Prosecutors were against not only separating the case, but delaying it even longer.

Deputy District Attorney Steve Somers argued he was concerned over the wellbeing of the surviving victim, the older sister of Shaun and Delylah Tara. He said the girl, identified as Jane Doe, feels guilt over losing her siblings. He also outlined some of the details that led up to the children’s death on Thanksgiving 2015.

Huntsman and Curiel are accused of abusing and torturing the three children. Jane Doe was found in a car in Plumas County, the bodies of Shaun and Delylah were found in a plastic bin in a Redding storage facility.

Curiel’s trial is scheduled to begin on March 5, Huntsman’s trial will begin on Oct. 15.