State allegedly continues to withhold records following mistrial at Riverside deaf school.

Attorneys representing the state of California have been accused of noncompliance with two court orders concerning the release of critical evidence in a sexual abuse lawsuit linked to the California School for the Deaf-Riverside. The controversy stems from allegations that thousands of pages of evidence were withheld from the plaintiff’s legal team, triggering a judicial mistrial just weeks ago.

On March 24, Judge Eric A. Keen declared a mistrial in light of the defense’s failure to provide timely documentation necessary for the case. Following this, attorneys for the defendants, comprising the California School for the Deaf and the state Department of Education, disclosed only approximately 7,746 pages of the 17,520 total records that the plaintiffs have sought. This information was detailed in a motion submitted to the Riverside Superior Court on May 4.

The lawsuit centers around a former female student who alleges she was subjected to repeated sexual assaults by five male classmates between 2022 and 2023, at ages 16 and 17. These incidents reportedly occurred on the school campus. The attorneys also claim that more than 9,300 text messages, deemed essential to the case, are still being withheld. These messages allegedly include correspondence between the plaintiff and another student that are pivotal to the underlying allegations.

In their recent court filing, the plaintiffs have requested that the court mandates the defendants to produce all outstanding documentation, including the text messages, while addressing what they describe as excessive redactions that have thus far characterized the materials provided. The attorneys assert that administrators at the school failed to heed warnings related to inappropriate conduct, neglected mandatory reporting protocols, and inadequately addressed ongoing sexual misconduct issues.

The mistrial was pursued by the plaintiff’s attorneys under the claim that the delayed disclosure of key evidence severely hindered their case preparation, inhibiting their ability to conduct essential depositions and expert analyses. Despite defense attorneys reportedly having access to the complete collection of documents for months, only a fraction was shared with the plaintiff’s team during the trial’s progression.

In a separate development, the state department declined to comment on the litigation, citing ongoing judicial proceedings. Founded in 1953, the California School for the Deaf-Riverside accommodates approximately 400 students in grades kindergarten through 12 and is one of two institutions of its kind in the state.

The retrial is set for July 31, 2023, and it will again be overseen by Judge Keen at the Riverside Historic Courthouse. This case highlights significant issues surrounding the protection of vulnerable students in educational settings as well as the accountability of state institutions in handling allegations of sexual misconduct. As this case unfolds, it raises critical questions about the safeguards in place for students and the obligations of educational entities to ensure a safe and supportive environment.