Irvine 11 due back in court for ruling on grand jury transcripts release

Attorneys for 11 college students accused of disrupting a speech by an Israeli ambassador last year at UC Irvine are scheduled to appear in a Santa Ana courtroom Thursday for a motion on whether the court will release transcripts from a grand jury investigation into the defendants.

Such transcripts are routinely sealed.

On May 13, Orange County Superior Court Judge Peter J. Wilson issued an order barring the Orange County district attorney’s office and defense attorneys from talking about the case in public to prevent potential jurors from being swayed.

The so-called Irvine 11 stand accused of disrupting Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren’s speech Feb. 8, 2010. The 11 UCI and UC Riverside students have been charged with conspiring to commit a crime and disturbing a peaceful assembly, according to court records.

If convicted, the students face up to six months in jail.

—Lauren Williams