Murder case could get new venue

A lot of people crowded into a Santa Maria courtroom Thursday morning. Eleven of them are accused in one of the city’s most brutal murder cases.

But not much is getting done in court, because there’s not enough room.

The courtrooms in Santa Maria were not made for 11 defendants at once. So right now the courts are trying to figure out where they can go.

For the first time all 11 people accused of killing Anthony Ibarra appeared together in a Santa Maria courtroom.

“When you have seven, excuse me 11 defendants and 11 defense attorneys, you just need more room than we have in a normal courtroom. So they’re figuring out a better facility to hold the case and it may or may not actually be on this property,” said senior deputy district attorney Ann Bramson.

The court’s chief executive officer is researching other places to have hearings and the trial in this case places like: the City Council chambers, the Santa Maria Fairpark and the Abel Maldonado youth center, which was used during the Michael Jackson trial.

Wherever it goes it creates issues such as security. Depending on where they go will determine how much security is needed.

Everyone accused in this case is still in jail or juvenile detention and everyone will be back in court in mid-September.