Judge Releases List of Jurors in Alfaro Death-Penalty Case

A Superior Court judge Wednesday reversed his position and released to newspaper reporters a list of jurors who recommended the death penalty for Maria (Rosie) del Rosio Alfaro.

After ruling that the media can have access to the list because it is a public record, Judge Theodore E. Millard apologized for Tuesday’s “miscommunication” that caused him to refuse requests for the list. The jury had recommended that the 20-year-old mother of four be sentenced to death for killing Autumn Wallace, 9, during a residential burglary.

On Tuesday, after the verdict, reporters for The Times Orange County and the Orange County Register had requested “a list of jurors” and “names of jurors.”

Millard said he refused to grant them access to the information because he thought they also wanted addresses and phone numbers, which are not public records, he said.

“I think it was a misunderstanding. . . . I was not aware of anyone just wanting names” of jurors, Millard said during a Wednesday formal hearing with attorneys for both papers.