The hearing had been scheduled for April 12, but Huckaby’s attorney asked for more time to prepare.
Huckaby’s public defender, Samuel Behar, is expected to ask Judge Linda Lofthus to throw out some evidence against Huckaby because Tracy detectives might have violated her rights prior to her arrest last year.
On May 10, Lofthus will set a date for the hearing.
Sandra went missing March 27 last year from Orchard Estates Mobile Home Park, where she lived. Ten days later, her body was found in a suitcase in a dairy pond.
Huckaby, 29, who appeared in court today with a short haircut, is charged with kidnapping, rape and murder.
District Attorney Thomas Testa said he agreed with the postponed hearing as long as the October trial date isn’t affected.
According to court records, Tracy police are investigating whether their own detectives last April broke rules in talking to Huckaby.
Behar said in papers filed Jan. 25 that he was told by Testa that “several” Tracy police detectives “are being investigated” to see if any “internal rules were violated in connection with Detective Nate Cogburn’s comments to Huckaby” on April 10, hours before her arrest.
Whatever Cogburn said is unclear. A judge last year ruled a gag order on the case.
• Contact Tracy Press reporter Cassie Tomlin at 830-4225 or ctomlin@tracypress.com.
No, I'm not detective cognburn, I don't even know him. But I do know that police officers are always criticized even when they are doing a good job by people who don't understand how our law system works.
Cogburn was the lead detective as he is the juvenille crimes detective. Yes, the other people had pressure, but ConcernedParent didn't comment on them, he only attack cogburn suggesting he should be fired because he is a liability. Had he attacked the others, I would have addressed that.
Again, someone assuming they know all and sadly, you don't.
It's sad the police keep quiet when if the facts were known, he'd be seen in a much different light. But it isn't their policy to release info. I know more than most because I know people who were interviewed and involved. Please, don't try to connect dots that don't add up. Just trust the police are people who try to help, try to keep us safe. Cogburn helped a friend of mine and he is a good guy. He truly doesn't deserve this garbage!
"Yuckaby", deserves no sympathy!
I wonder about those lawyers?????????????? Political grandstanding?
CN
I can understand that from the articles in the Tracy Press you might think you know that Cogburn messed up. But if you knew all the facts, you would apologize. He is a good detective who tirelessly worked to try to find Sandra Cantu alive. He had the pressure of the world on him at the time. He did nothing that a good person wouldn't do to try and find a missing child. As for the previous situation, I have already commented ad nauseum about this that he did the best he could with the situation and you don't know all the facts on that either. There was s o much more to the story. Please stop slandering a man who has worked countless hours to keep the kids in Tracy safe. It really is a thankless job and I'm tired of the criticism by people who don't have all the facts. Leave the poor guy alone!
Had he investigated Huckaby when the first girl was kidnapped and drugged in January- instead of blaming her own mother- Sandra Cantu may have been spared the abuse and murder the following March.
Now this, among other complaints of impropriety by Cogburn?
Here is a sure fire way to clean up the TPD and save some money to boot. Cogburn has got to go!!!
That family is and will always be in my prayers