The case of a Newport Seashore physician and his girlfriend accused of drugging and sexually assaulting ladies might lastly go to trial

• A Newport Seashore physician and his girlfriend might lastly see a trial of their intercourse assault case. 
• The couple have been first accused of preying on ladies within the Orange County space in 2018.
• Over practically 5 years, the case that originally charged them with rape has been watered down.

An Orange County, California choose will resolve subsequent month whether or not a Newport Seashore physician and his girlfriend will lastly go to trial on fees that they sexually assaulted ladies that they purchased drinks for at eating places.

A neighborhood detective testified this week that two ladies stated Dr. Grant Robicheaux — who used to seem on the Bravo actuality TV present “On-line Relationship Rituals of the American Male” —  and his girlfriend, Cerissa Riley, provided them with alcohol to be able to sexually assault them, the Orange County Register reported. The ladies stated they believed they’d been drugged by the couple.

The case in opposition to the couple has been severely watered down since 2018, when an Orange County District Legal professional introduced fees in opposition to the couple, whose workplace painted as a “Bonnie and Clyde” crew that lured ladies to Robicheaux’s posh condominium to drug and rape them on digicam.

Then-District Legal professional Tony Rackauckas stated in a press convention on the time that investigators discovered “hundreds” of items of video proof depicting Robicheaux and Riley sexually assaulting ladies on the couple’s telephones. Rackauckas urged extra victims to return ahead, claiming the proof confirmed there may very well be “a whole lot” or “greater than a thousand” victims.

On the time, the couple’s faces have been splashed throughout entrance pages and homepages. Two years later, although, the newly elected DA Todd Spitzer alleged his predecessor had “manufactured” the whole case for political achieve and moved to dropped the case.

A choose denied the DA’s bid to drop the case utterly after attorneys for the ladies argued that seven ladies who did not know one another had all made related allegations in opposition to the couple, the Orange County Register reported. 

The choose changed the DA’s workplace with the state Legal professional Basic’s workplace as prosecutors within the case, after which a distinct choose dropped fees associated to 2 victims who now not wished to take part. 

A 3rd choose eliminated three different ladies from the case, leaving solely two Jane Does, in accordance with The Register.

The couple has denied that they dedicated any crimes and stated they have been swingers. 

Legal professional Phillip Cohen, who represents Robicheaux, has stated that the couple is being unfairly prosecuted for his or her way of life. 

Cohen was in courtroom when contacted by Insider Thursday and did not instantly return a request for remark. 

The ladies say Grant Robicheaux purchased them drinks forward of the tried assaults

Newport Seashore police Detective Marie Gamble testified at a possible trigger listening to that the primary girl was out consuming and dancing together with her roommate when she met Riley, who then launched them to her boyfriend, The Register reported. 

After shopping for them drinks, the girl stated she awoke at Robicheaux’s house, the place he instructed her she “wished this” and tried to kiss her, the Register reported from Gamble’s testimony.

Police responded to the house after neighbors heard her screams and dialed 911, Gamble testified. 

At first, the girl denied being sexually assaulted, however later instructed Gamble that she lied as a result of she felt uncomfortable and thought the officers have been laughing at her, The Register reported.

The second girl met the movie star physician by a courting app and instructed a DA investigator that she was shocked when Riley confirmed up on their date at Nobu Newport Seashore in 2017, the investigator, Jennifer Kearns, instructed the courtroom.

The lady instructed Kearns she had taken cocaine that Riley supplied her, after which awoke later to the couple touching her and taking her shirt off in Robicheaux’s bed room, The Register reported from Kearns testimony.

Police discovered medication and unregistered weapons as his house, in accordance with The Register.

Kearns is suing the DA’s workplace, alleging that her employer is colluding with protection to dismantle the case, the LA Instances reported.

Orange County Superior Courtroom Decide Michael Leversen will resolve by July ninth whether or not the case in opposition to Robicheaux and Riley will go to trial.