Crummel trial starts today in Riverside

Deepa Bharath

It’s been a quarter of a century since 13-year-old Jamey Trotter

disappeared while walking along Harbor Boulevard, on his way to

school.

That was on April 19, 1979.

Almost 25 years later, James Lee Crummel, the man accused of

sexually assaulting and murdering the Costa Mesa teenager, is facing

a jury trial in Riverside County.

The prosecution and defense will present their opening arguments

today in a convoluted death penalty case that’s had more twists and

turns than a Hitchcock production.

Officials arrested Crummel in Newport Beach in 1997 in connection

with Trotter’s death after he reportedly led police to the boy’s

remains on a wooded trail off the Ortega Highway. Crummel is serving

a life sentence for sexually abusing a 16-year-old boy in his Newport

Crest condo.

He was Newport Beach’s first high-profile Megan’s Law case.

Residents also picketed outside his home to get Crummel, identified

by police as a high-risk sex offender, out of their neighborhood.

Darleen Savoji spearheaded that protest. She said Crummel had

invited her sons, then 13 and 7, into his house, asking them if they

wanted to drink Coke and watch BMX movies.

“I can’t believe it’s taken so long and he has gotten away from

this for so many years,” she said. “It’s frustrating, but reassuring

to know that he can’t get away.”

Flawed testing and contamination of evidence delayed the trial,

which was originally set to begin in September.

Crummel’s defense made a flurry of pre-trial motions over the last

few weeks including one last week to add evidence linking the

notorious “Freeway Killer,” William Bonin, to Trotter’s death. But

the judge declined that motion, disallowing the defense to present

the testimony of James Munro, a co-defendant in Bonin’s trial.

Defense attorneys said Munro had told five people over 22 years that

Bonin had killed Trotter.

Defense Attorney Mary Ann Galante said she believed the

prosecution has a weak case.

“All they have is a boy who is missing,” she said. “There’s no

evidence of cause of death and no evidence of any lewd acts that are

said to have been performed on [Trotter].”

Prosecutor Bill Mitchell was not available for comment on Friday,

but had said last week that he was relieved the case is finally going

to trial.

Family members and friends of Trotter are eagerly awaiting the

trial, said Trotter’s friend Keith Johnson, who lives in Florida and

came to California last week to watch it.

“I’ve known Jamey since we both were 3 or 4 years old,” he said.

“His murder has had a tremendous effect on me.”

Opening statements are scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. in

Department 31 at the Riverside County Courthouse.

* DEEPA BHARATH covers public safety and courts. She may be

reached at (949) 574-4226 or by e-mail at deepa.bharath@latimes.com.