Sierra LaMar Case: Grand Jury Transcripts to be Unsealed

A judge has decided to unseal grand jury transcripts in the case against Antolin Garcia-Torres, the man accused of kidnapping and killing Sierra LaMar.

New information about the case could be revealed when the transcripts on July 11.

Sierra was last seen at her bus stop in Morgan Hill on March 16, 2012. Her abduction deeply affected the Bay Area, especially because the 15-year-old girl's body has never been found.

Even two years after her disappearance and assumed death, volunteers continue to search for the girl’s remains.

Both the Santa Clara County District Attorney and the defense did not want the transcripts unsealed, but for different reasons. The DA says the move will make it tougher to find a jury, lengthening the process. The defense thinks this will lead to an unfair trial.

Garcia-Torres has pleaded not guilty to the charges. County prosecutors announced last month they would seek the death penalty. The last time a Santa Clara County jury decided to put a man to death was in 2010.

Legal Analyst Steven Clark said the DA's decision to seek the death penalty against Garcia-Torres means it could now be years before the case goes to trial.
 

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