FILLMORE : Closed Meeting Held in Fatal Accident

Attorneys for a 20-year-old Garden Grove man who is accused of killing a former schoolmate in a drunk-driving accident last month held an extraordinary closed-door conference Tuesday with the judge in the case.

The attorneys who represent Justin Neff met privately with Ventura County Municipal Court Judge John Hunter to discuss the case, in which Neff is accused of causing the death of James Anderson, 18, a former fellow student at Fillmore High School.

Hunter excluded Deputy Dist. Atty. Richard E. Holmes from the meeting at the request of defense attorneys Michael Norris and Richard Loy--and despite objections from Holmes.

Holmes argued that there is no California law allowing criminal defense attorneys to discuss a case with the judge while excluding the prosecutor. But Hunter refused to allow Holmes to join the meeting, and sealed the court reporter’s transcript of it.

Holmes moved to have the transcript unsealed, but Hunter denied the motion after the five-minute meeting with Neff’s attorneys.

Norris and Loy refused to tell reporters the nature of the meeting, and Holmes said he had no idea what they discussed with Judge Hunter.

Meanwhile, Neff stood in the jury box, wearing prison garb and leg irons, waiting to answer charges of drunk driving and gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. He appeared healthy, showing little evidence of the severe internal injuries he suffered in the June 15 accident.

Neff is accused of driving his car while intoxicated into a power pole just south of Fillmore and killing Anderson, who had received his diploma just hours before from Fillmore High School.

Neff’s attorneys said they expect that he will plead not guilty to the charges at his arraignment, which Hunter continued until July 31. Hunter set a preliminary hearing for Aug. 27 after Norris and Loy said they need more time to study evidence including police reports, videotapes, photographs and statements from nearly 60 witnesses.

Neff remains in Ventura County Jail in lieu of $250,000 bail and faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.