Medical Records Move Forward South East High Stabbing Case

The trial against Abraham López, 18, who stands accused of fatally stabbing Cindi Santana, 17, his alleged former girlfriend, at the cafeteria of South East High School on September 2011, made some progress this Wednesday morning during its latest pre-trial hearing at the Norwalk Court House.

St. Francis Medical Center finally released the medicals records that both the prosecution and defense teams had been waiting for months for.

“The court has filed and received the victims medical records,” said Scott Herin, the Deputy Public Defender Los Angeles County, representing López. “Experts are now going to be looking at these.”

Both the defense and the prosecution asked Judge Lori Ann Fournier for a continuance.  

Roberto Rubacalva, the Deputy District Attorney prosecuting the case was not present during this last pretrial hearing, but sent word through another prosecutor that stood in for him.

López is currently facing charges of murder, several counts of assault with a knife, and for the issuing a criminal threat, as well as others.

Fournier allowed  for the continuance and set the next hearing for September 10, 2012. The trial is set to begin thirty days after this next hearing. However, the defense told South Gate Patch Latino that it would most likely take longer.

“It seems unlikely,” concluded Herin, who added that experts need time to review the medical records, and that other evidence is still being gathered. 

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