After an hour-long hearing in Santa Barbara Superior Court with arguments from the Santa Barbara District Attorney’s office and defense attorneys, the million dollar bail for Joe Walker and Dr. Andrew Bourne of Mammoth Lakes was reduced to $750,000. At 3pm Tuesday, both defendants remained in the Santa Barbara County Jail.
According to Santa Barbara Deputy DA Mary Barron, Walker stands charged with 6 counts of unlawful contact with a child with the intent to commit a sexual crime and with one count of actual commission of a lewd or lascivious act on a child of 14 or 15. Bourne faces 8 counts of unlawful contact with a child with the intent to commit a sexual crime.
Deputy DA Barron told Sierra Wave that declarations were submitted to the court and arguments made over bail. Asked if she argued that the defendants were flight risks, Barron declined to elaborate on the details of attorneys’ arguments “in fairness to both sides.” She did say that the investigation continues. KEYT TV News in Santa Barbara reported that Barron told the judge she expects to file additional, related charges soon against Walker and Bourne.
Ms. Barron also said that another hearing is set for January 19th and a preliminary hearing for January 25th. At that time, Barron will present the DA’s evidence to back up charges against Walker and Bourne.
Meanwhile, in the community of Mammoth Lakes, citizens have raised questions about who will provide surgical services at Mammoth Hospital since Dr. Bourne is unavailable. Lori Ciccarelli, Community Services Director for the hospital, said that right now other surgeons are covering for Dr. Bourne. She said legal counsel is “reviewing the contracts and will be making recommendations in regards to whether or not Dr. Bourne’s privileges will be suspended.” Officials are continuing to meet and discuss this issue.
Mammoth parents have wondered if Dr. Bourne will retain his seat on the Mammoth School Board. School Superintendent Rich Boccia referred us to School by-law 9223 which addresses what may create a vacancy on the board. The reasons include death, inability to perform for the remainder of a term, no longer a resident of the district, felony conviction, or resignation. Officials did say that at this time there is no vacancy on the Mammoth School Board.
Even though police had reported that alleged crimes in this case occurred in Mammoth Lakes, the case against Walker and Bourne will be exclusively handled by Santa Barbara Police and the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office.
I agree one hundred percent with kaat. That young girl was, apparently, just 13 when this mess started. I feel the utmost sympathy for her and her family. I also agree with your points about Dr.Bourne’s charges being considered no big deal by persons both here and on the streets… Read more »
I knew that I had read, somewhere, that the emails were discovered in September 2011. I just found this quote online, from the Mammoth Times: “Sergeant Lorenzo Duarte, Public Information Officer for the Santa Barbara Police Dept., said, “Investigation began in September of 2011 when suspicious emails sent to a… Read more »
Not what I found — do you have a link to the article that you found?
http://www.keyt.com/news/local/Two-Men-Face-Criminal-Charges-In-Connection-With-A-14-Year-Old-Girl-136767503.html
Yes. http://www.keyt.com/news/local/Bail-Reduced-For-Men-Charged-With-Sex-Crimes-137050993.html
BK
“The prosecutor told the judge in court today that an inappropriate relationship between the two men and the unidentified girl has been going on for about two years.”
Hummm…. So why was that “inappropriate relationship” allowed to continue????
Ken,
For accuracy sake, I will point out that perhaps the prosecutor has evidence that shows a relationship for two years that only became
recently known.
Benett
Yes, I thought about that. Possibly, the investigation started in Sept. ’11 an discovered that the “inappropriate relationship” had begun two years prior. But this is all speculation. And I am guilty of too much speculation at this point.
Ken, I’ve been reading your posts and you’re obviously a friend of these two. My advice: stop defending them so rigorously with your name attached — this may come back to bite you. As someone who has seen many of these cases, their situation doesn’t look good at all. The… Read more »
You mistake my shock for defense. And you are typical of those who jump to conclusions. Dr. Bourne treated me when I need it surgical help and I thought he was a good man. Don’t know the other man at all. If you take the time to re-read my posts,… Read more »
Inappropriate doesn’t mean illegal…
WOW! The young girl who is at the center of this situation has been treated as almost an after thought by both the press and posters here. The possibility that the Dr. had “inappropriate” communications with a female minor (a very young one) is being thought of as literally ‘no… Read more »
Commenters, the “two years” that was reported in another media wasn’t the length of the investigation. It was reported that the alleged crimes began two years ago.
I have not been able to find a single news item that says the investigation has been ongoing for two years. All the news items I’ve found say the investigation was started in September 2011.
Ken,
KEYT.com reported that the prosecutor alleged in open court that a relationship between the accused and the victim had been going on for two years.
Benett Kessler
Bail what a crock,. Flight risk, Wow the Dr. has Dual Citizenship , So What. I liked the way the prosecutor claims she has more charges for the two comming. I’d like to know how many times she said this before and not delivered. This is prosecutor posturing. Making a… Read more »
I don’t know the second defendant, but this is unbelieveable to hear about someone who does so much good in the world as Dr. Bourne. Undoubtedly, good people do bad things, but let’s not crucify him without the facts. I would like to hear the details of the evidence before… Read more »
two years !? what where they waiting for ?! Also isn’t the girl 15 , would that make her 13 at start.? this is not looking good for either one of them . why was the bail the same for both when supposedly only one of them didn’t actually have… Read more »
When you think of the one or two years that the investigation was ongoing (from what I have read in the news), I have to remind myself that is was the mother (I think I read somewhere?) of the young girl who found the emails/communications and contacted the police…so I… Read more »
i said the same thing yesterday & got 19 negatives. What’s up with that?
OOPS! Robert Blake’s bail WAS a cool million, but he was found innocent, wasn’t he?
Robert Blake was charged with MURDER….and the reason he was found not guilty was because the trial was in L.A…..and he was a movie star…
There is NO surgeon coverage until Jan. 15th. Patients that need general surgery have to be transferred out until then.
Most likely getting better care outside the area. The Bishop and Mammoth Hospital don’t have the best of patient care reputation.
Have you been a patient at Mammoth Hospital? I have. And I would prefer Mammoth Hospital over Renown in Reno any day. Given that Mammoth Hospital has the specialists needed. Mammoth Hospital is a rural hospital and you can’t expect residents in all fields like the larger hospitals such as… Read more »
I have been a patient at Mammoth Hospital many times. I would not go anywhere else. Patient care is excellent. You should go to USC sometines to see how bad it can really get.
Bail is going to be set high for several reasons. One being all the facts we will soon learn about and two, they are both flight risks due to the fact that both have strong international flexibility. Andy has dual citizenship(Australia) and Joe’s wife is European. The law is always… Read more »
I do not think the bail is set based on guilt or innocence, nor on the crime is it? I understood it was based on other factos as risk to the community and filght risk?
Mono County’s Schedule Bail: (3) When a defendant is booked or charged with two or more offenses, bail shall be the amount computed under this schedule for the charge having the highest bail, including applicable amounts for enhancements and prior convictions except: … (2) where separate sex acts are committed… Read more »
Yes, move carefully Mammoth Hospital and MUSD….you have to follow employment contracts and employment law…Of course conviction of a felony is grounds for termination, being indicted, perhaps not so. Typically this is when you see ‘paid leave’ used a lot. School board may be slightly different, it’s not employment and… Read more »
Every organization has by-laws in which to follow during the event in which certain cases apply. If there is nothing in the by-laws which pertain to the event, then NOTHING can be done. As stated by the the school superintendent, Dr. Bourne’s case does not fit the requirements of the… Read more »
Some people are not going to like this, but I have to say…Dr. Bourne’s bail should not be as high as Mr. Walker’s, seeing how he is not being presently charged with sexual contact with the victim, as Mr. walker is. What he IS charged with are extremely serious offenses… Read more »
Where are these other surgeons? There are no other qualified surgeons for internal medicine. Once again Mammoth Hospital administration is not telling the truth.
750k Bail is still pretty high. The police must have some pretty incriminating evidence.
Having read other articles regarding this hearing, it sounds like the DA is gonna bring more related charges against both soon. Also it has been disclosed the investigation has been going on for about two years not one as previously stated.
Two years? Why didn’t somebody do or say something to stop or prevent whatever alleged illegal activities were going on? Didn’t they think it was important to stop that activity? Or did they have other motives to let it continue? And what exactly did happen?
Ken,
We don’t know exactly what happened, but usually more information comes out during a preliminary hearing.
Benett
Innocent until proven guilty for sure but I cant help but to wonder, are these guys gonna show their face in town if they make bail?