Death certificate leads to dismissal of charges in Bourne case

santabarbaracourthouse

Santa Barbara Courthouse

Charges in the case of Dr. Andrew Bourne in Santa Barbara County Court have been officially dismissed.

Deputy District Attorney Mary Barron said that when her office received Dr. Bourne’s death certificate, the case was dismissed.  Barron said, “We filed a copy with the court and dismissed the charges as to him, only.”  She said the bail bond for Bourne was exonerated.  Money will be returned.

Barron also said that some of Bourne’s property remains in the possession of the DA’s office as Santa Barbara Police review the property for “evidentiary value”.  It is believed that this property includes a computer and cell phone.

The Santa Barbara DA had alleged that Bourne and Joe Walker of Mammoth had sent 1,000 emails to a 14-year-old Santa Barbara girl.  Both men faced charges of illegal contact with a minor for purposes of sex.  Additionally, Walker faces a charge of lewd acts with a minor. Barron said that once there is a determination that Bourne’s property is not required as evidence in the Walker case, the DA’s office expects to authorize its release to the Bourne family.

Barron said the next hearing in both cases is scheduled for March 9th.

About Benett Kessler

Always interested in writing, Benett was the editor of her high school paper, proceeded to the University of Chicago and then out West where she and John Heston formed Eastern Sierra News Service in Inyo County. They fed film to KNXT in Los Angeles and co-wrote and produced the first daily radio news in the Eastern Sierra. Their work ranged from a published news magazine to the first television newscast. They continued to provide videotaped news to KABC and other news outlets. After a seat on the Mammoth Times board and work as newswriter, Benett formed her own company, Sierra Broadcasters and launched an FM radio station, now KSRW and a broadcast television station, KSRW-TV33. The latest addition - Sierrawave.net. Her company motto: Comfort the afflicted, and afflict the comfortable.

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2 Responses to Death certificate leads to dismissal of charges in Bourne case

  1. JJ February 28, 2012 at 10:13 pm #

    What a coward.

    Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 19 Thumb down 7

  2. Dingo February 29, 2012 at 12:43 pm #

    Duh.

    Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 13 Thumb down 4

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