Posted on 10/26/2012 9:47:03 PM PDT by Bullish
(Was due in court today)
SAN BERNARDINO - A former Westminster police detective convicted of kidnapping and raping a local waitress killed himself inside his jail cell on Friday morning, hours before he would have been sentenced for the crimes.
At about 2:50 a.m., deputies at the Central Detention Center found Anthony Orban, 33, unresponsive in his single-man cell, according to a statement from San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department.
Deputies Former Westminister police detective Anthony Nicholas Orban leaves West Valley Superior Court in Rancho Cucamonga on April 7, 2010. (File Photo) and medical personnel pronounced Orban dead.
Sheriff's officials said they would not release the cause of Orban's death until after they conduct an autopsy, which is scheduled for Monday.
"This is quite an emotional situation for all parties involved," Judge Shahla Sabet said.
Orban, who had served in the Marines, was found guilty in June of kidnapping a woman at gunpoint April 3, 2010, in a parking lot at Ontario Mills mall. He later beat and raped her for about an hour in Fontana.
The defendant and his attorney had blamed the attack on prescription drugs, specifically Zoloft, which he was taking.
Orban, who has been in custody since his arrest, was scheduled for a hearing at 1:30 p.m. inside the West Valley Superior Court in Rancho Cucamonga.
The court was investigating possible juror misconduct stemming from an alleged conversation between jurors about personal use of prescription drugs - a major theme in the lengthy trial.
Defense attorney James Blatt, who brought the alleged juror misconduct to the court's attention, was pursuing a new trial.
Before receiving news of Orban's death on Friday, Sabet said she was prepared to proceed with his sentencing. Anthony Orban's attorney, James Blatt, Friday in West Valley Superior Court in Rancho Cucamonga. (Gabriel Luis Acosta/Staff Photographer)
Her tentative ruling was that she was going to deny a new trial, find that there was no jury misconduct and impose two full consecutive sentences on Orban - 82 years to life plus 95 years.
"But all of that is moot at this time," Sabet said, who continued the case over to March 1 to verify the death and close the matter.
Sabet allowed the victim, identified only as Erinn, a 26 year old from the High Desert, to read her impact statement during Friday's hearing.
"On April 3, 2010, due to the perverted actions of Anthony Nicholas Orban, my life was forever changed," Erinn said.
"I am disappointed that a person in your position would behave in such a way," she continued, as if Orban were in the room. "Not to mention the fact that you tried to get away with it instead of owning up to your actions like a real man."
Erinn said wasn't angry anymore, but she needed Orban to know there were consequences to his actions.
"You no longer have any control over my life," she concluded. "And I forgive you."
Later, Erinn said she was upset she didn't get to tell Orban in person what she needed to say.
The judge also allowed the defense to speak on behalf of Orban's family, who was not present at the hearing.
Blatt addressed the court and said the Orban family was truly sorry that Erinn had to go through this terrible situation and that her anger and rage were justified.
Blatt also said this was tragic for his client's family.
"Their son led a life of outstanding distinction in military service and the Police Department," he said.
After the hearing, Blatt said Orban's family was "extremely saddened" by the news.
But, he added, this was not something completely out of the blue.
"All of us knew this was a possibility because he had fallen so far ... because he was looking at life," Blatt said.
Orban will never know Sabet's tentative ruling that came on Friday, Blatt said.
"But I think he knew that the judge was going to deny the motion (for a new trial) and sentence him today," he added.
Deputy District Attorney Debbie Ploghaus expressed her frustrations with Orban outside the courtroom, calling him selfish.
"It is typical of him to do this today, and make it about him, when today was going to be about Erinn and what she had to say," Ploghaus said.
"He took the easy way out and she has to live with this for the rest of her life."
More at link..........
Well at least he didn’t cook and eat her.
Great news.
Evil gone, and tax payers didn’t have to pay for it.
One good thing=He passed the savings onto the tax payers.
Yup, that’s what I’d call dropping to the bottom line...
Too Bad, So Sad; now whats for desert, pie and ice cream?
How about a double Scotch just to celebrate?
Well, bye.
Of course we have the contingent of people who declare that such medications are trash and worse than useless and point as evidence to episodes of irrational, unconscious behavior such as Orban alleges happened... unless the shoe is on the wrong political foot.
Well......Darn....
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