Arraignment Postponed in Death-Penalty Case
An arraignment was postponed Wednesday for a man whose death-penalty case was thrown out of court this week after prosecutors made a procedural error.
Michael Schultz, 32, of Ventura is accused of raping and strangling a Port Hueneme woman during a home burglary eight years ago.
A murder indictment was set aside Feb. 1 after a Santa Barbara judge ruled the grand jury was too male-dominated. Subsequent charges were dismissed this week after a Ventura County judge found the district attorney’s office made an error in refiling the case.
Schultz was rearrested Tuesday at the Ventura County Jail, where he remains held without bail, and prosecutors filed a new set of charges. Schultz appeared in court Wednesday but did not enter a plea. He is due back Feb. 27.
After the hearing, defense attorneys said they are researching whether prosecutors may be barred from refiling charges given the two prior rulings.
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