Anaheim : School Records Request in Sex Case Denied
A junior high school teacher charged with molesting a 12-year-old girl lost his request Wednesday to see the girl’s school records. An attorney for Herbert Okamoto, 53, of Tustin said he will resubmit his request and specify that he needs the girl’s file for information such as her grades while she was in Okamoto’s math class at Vista del Rio Junior High School.
Calling the information “very critical” to his case, attorney Stephen Klarich disputes the school’s argument that the information should be kept confidential.
North Orange County Municipal Judge John McOwen denied the request, according to Klarich, because it was not clear that information is necessary to Okamoto’s defense.
Okamoto is charged with molesting the student in a school storage room earlier this year. Okamoto, who teaches math and wood shop, has been suspended with pay pending resolution of his case, Klarich said.
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