A Tuesday morning readiness conference in the case against Chula Vista Police Officer Roman Granados lasted about two-minutes, with the prosecutor and defense attorney walking out of a South Bay courtroom with a new date for a supplemental readiness conference.
Deputy District Attorney Ryan Karkenney said a newly scheduled Dec. 18 supplemental readiness conference gives both parties more time to gather facts for the case.
“It’s an opportunity to make sure that both sides have the discovery, the evidence in the case,” he said.
“And to see if some sort of plea agreement can take place. If not then we go to trial. “
Court Commissioner Francisco Marty Jr. also confirmed a Feb. 24 trial date.
Granados, 46, entered a not guilty plea on Sept. 15 to four misdemeanor charges in connection to an off-duty incident where he allegedly Assaulted his girlfriend’s 16-year-old son.
Defense attorney Robert Baumann stated in an email that his client maintains his innocence.
“At this point we are still in the process of gathering evidence/statements from witnesses in order to prepare the case for trial in February,” the email states.
“Officer Granados still denies the charges against him and plans on taking this case to trial,” he said in the email.
The officer was not present at court Tuesday.
The District Attorney’s office brought two misdemeanor counts of battery and two counts of cruelty to a child against Granados after he, according to the victim’s father, allegedly “choked and punched” the boy without provocation after a promotion ceremony at Chula Vista Hills Elementary school last June.
Granados, a 14-year veteran with the police force, faces a maximum of one-year in a San Diego jail.
The teenager initially declined medical attention but later checked himself in to a medical facility for head pain, police said.
Granados has been placed on paid administrative assignment at the police department, said police Capt. Roxana Kennedy.
A criminal protective order remains in place.
The protective order prohibits Granados from contacting the teenager in person, over the Internet or through electronic communication.
As part of the order, Granados cannot own, maintain or possess a firearm.
The order states that Granados must stay 100-yards from the boy.
A week after the altercation, a judge granted a restraining order for the victim against Granados.
The boy had also filed a restraining order against his mother, Blanca Jimenez, who is the officer’s girlfriend.
In court documents the boy also alleges that his mother became abusive during the incident.
A hearing on Jimenez’s restraining order is set for January.
