Judge to continue presiding over case An...

Judge to continue presiding over case

An Orange County Superior Court judge decided on Friday not to

order another judge to recuse himself from Greg Haidl’s upcoming

statutory rape trial.

Haidl, the 19-year-old son of former Orange County Assistant

Sheriff Don Haidl, was charged with statutory rape in July after

allegedly having consensual sex with a 16-year-old girl.

At the time of the incident, Greg Haidl was free on bail awaiting

retrial on charges that he and two friends gang-raped an allegedly

unconscious girl. The incident was videotaped in the garage of Don

Haidl’s home.

Greg Haidl’s attorney, Joseph Cavallo, had asked that Judge Luis

Rodriguez recuse himself from the statutory rape case in the South

County courthouse. Rodriguez is named in a lawsuit filed by the

family of the girl in the second case.

They allege that Rodriguez acted improperly when he signed a

warrant to obtain her DNA. Investigators showed up at the girl’s

house days later to swab her mouth for saliva.

Judge Brett London ruled on Friday that Rodriguez should not be

recused and should hear further motions in the case, Deputy Dist.

Atty. Susan Schroeder said.

Cavallo plans to appeal the decision, he said.

Another hearing is planned for Dec 17.