LOS ANGELES _ Despite a public request from the county's top prosecutor, an Orange County judge on Friday deferred a decision on whether to dismiss charges against a doctor and his girlfriend in a sensational sexual assault case.
Judge Gregory Jones said he would take Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer's recommendation into consideration but would examine the evidence against Grant Robicheaux and Cerissa Riley more carefully "so that I can make an intelligent, meaningful" decision.
"Politics have infected this case," the judge said. "Mixing politics with prosecution gives you a toxic cocktail."
Prosecutors had accused the prominent Newport Beach doctor, 39, and his girlfriend, 32, of being sexual predators who lured vulnerable women, drugged them and took them back to their posh home to sexually assault them.
But on Tuesday, Spitzer announced that he was dropping all charges against the couple, accusing his predecessor and longtime political foe, Tony Rackauckas, of botching the case and making accusations that could not be proved.
"I didn't create this situation, but it's my responsibility to fix it," Spitzer said at a news conference. "Doing justice is not always pretty, and it's not pleasant many times. This is not pleasant at all, but these are important decisions that affect people's lives."
Rackauckas in a statement defended his handling of the case and suggested the dismissal was a possible "political vendetta against me."
"Certainly, any prosecutor should think long and hard before dismissing such a case where multiple women have independently come forward and subjected themselves to the hard process of baring their souls to the authorities," Rackauckas said. "I just hope they're not being sold down the river for some twisted political motive."
Philip Cohen, an attorney representing Robicheaux, said earlier this week that the doctor's and Riley's lives have been forever altered by the allegations lodged against them.
"I don't think anyone can truly understand what Grant and Cerissa are going through," Cohen said. "They've gone to bed every night, eaten every meal with the threat of prison hanging over their heads. That has to be an unbelievably devastating way to live."
Spitzer has invited any of the women who previously accused the couple to meet with him to discuss his decision.
He also offered a public apology to the women, as well as to Robicheaux and Riley, calling what happened in the case a "travesty."
Rackauckas said Tuesday in a statement that he too feels for the accusers.
"My heart goes out to the women who had the courage to come forward with their complaint because I believed their complaints based on the evidence I had before leaving office."
