Witnesses Doubt Inmate’s Guilt; Judge Says No Bail
A judge on Friday refused to grant bail to a Garden Grove man convicted of a robbery that some witnesses now say he didn’t commit.
Attorneys wanted George Arnulfo Lopez to be released from prison while he appeals his conviction for an Anaheim robbery.
The appeal focuses on statements from the three witnesses to the May 17, 1999, armed robbery of an Anaheim loan office. Two now say they do not believe that it was Lopez who committed the robbery; a third says he harbors doubts about Lopez’s guilt.
Superior Court Judge Daniel J. Didier chose not to free Lopez during the appeal, saying nothing has changed since his conviction.
Lopez’s trial lawyer knew about the reluctant witnesses but chose not to question them in front of the jury.
Lopez is serving a 13-year sentence at the Ironwood State Prison in Blythe.
His appeal could be heard within six to 12 months, said his appeals lawyer, James Crawford.
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