Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Arambula Jury Selected. Daughter Expected to Be Lead Witness.
David Website Replacement
By David Taub, Senior Reporter
Published 6 years ago on
May 2, 2019

Share

When Judge Alvin Harrell III announced that the jury in the Joaquin Arambula child abuse trial had been selected, the 60 or so remaining members of the juror pool erupted in applause.

“Jury selection will take longer than the actual trial,” Harrell quipped in his authoritative but light-hearted manner.

The prospect of the three-day jury selection lasting longer than the actual trial may have been an exaggeration. Opening statements in the Democratic assemblyman’s court case begin Friday morning (May 3).

Arambula stands accused of misdemeanor child cruelty stemming from a Dec. 9 incident involving his seven-year-old daughter at the family’s home. Court filings suggest Arambula slapped his daughter in the face, leaving a mark.

Arambula said publicly that all he did was spank his daughter on the bottom. He has been on leave from the assembly for the last nine weeks.

The first witness is expected to be Arambula’s daughter, the alleged victim.

Picture of Child’s Injury Shown

During jury selection, Arambula’s attorney Margarita Martinez-Baly showed three photos of the victim taken after the alleged incident. The seven-year-old girl had a visible red mark near her right eye. Two of the photos were from the side; one was from the front (where the bruise wasn’t as visible).

Martinez-Baly often called her a “beautiful child.” She asked potential jurors if they would automatically believe a child. Many responded they would need to hear all the evidence.

As Harrell officially read the charging document, outlining the single child cruelty charge leveled at Arambula, the assemblyman shook his head as if to indicate it was untrue.

Starting Friday, the jury will hear the evidence then eventually make determine guilt or not.

The Jury

Over the last three days, the prosecution and defense whittled down a 180-member jury pool to 12 in the box plus two alternates. They are split evenly — six men, six women (the alternates are one and one as well).

The jurors’ occupations range from two who work for the IRS, one who is a state prison guard, a zookeeper, a CalTrans employee, and one high school teacher. The list also includes two who work office jobs, and two retired individuals.

The main line of questioning during voir dire revolved around the ability of jurors to be impartial, putting aside their views on such issues as politics, corporal punishment, and child abuse. Exposure to prior media coverage did not necessarily disqualify any juror member.

Most of the jury pool said they had not formed an opinion regarding Arambula from prior media coverage or experiences with corporal punishment.

Harrell warned jurors not to research the case, or discuss the case with anyone, and to follow the law as instructed.

The first day of jury selection saw about half eliminated for cause or hardship. Some were based on scheduling conflicts. Harrell instructed those jurors to reschedule their duty. Others had health hardships. The judge excused them outright.

During the subsequent two days, Harrell conducted another round of questioning. A handful of other prospective jurors were struck for cause or hardship. Prosecutor Steve Wright utilized three of his six peremptory strikes, dismissing a juror without a specific reason. The defense used its privilege just once.

Witness List

Hanging on the back wall behind Arambula and his defense team was a witness list containing 36 names.

Eight potential witnesses are from the Fresno police department. They include Sgt. Stephen Phebus, who was first on the scene Dec. 10 at Dailey Elementary Charter after the school contacted Child Protective Services as a mandated reporter.

The list included four names from the Fresno County Dept. of Social Services (of which CPS falls under). Amber Fithian, the social worker who responded to the school is on the list.

At least five Arambula family members — wife Elizabeth, parents Joaquin and Amelia (Amy), brother Diego, and brother-in-law Nate Miller — are on the list.

Another five are either administrators or staff at Dailey.

The witness list includes at least four expert witnesses, either doctors or therapists, who are expected to testify.

The remaining witnesses are believed to be family friends of Arambula.

It is unknown if the defense plans to call Arambula to the stand. The trial is expected to last 7-10 days.

DON'T MISS

Elon Musk Reclaims Top Spot on Forbes’ Billionaires List

DON'T MISS

California Just Blew Its First Deadline for Voter-Approved Healthcare Measure

DON'T MISS

Trump Administration Halts Dozens of Research Grants at Princeton University

DON'T MISS

Fresno County Sheriff’s Pilot Takes His Last Flight as He Retires After 31 Years of Service

DON'T MISS

A Palestinian From the West Bank Is First Detainee Under 18 to Die in Israeli Prison, Officials Say

DON'T MISS

How Safe Is It to Walk to School? Fresno County Wants to Find Out

DON'T MISS

Baseball Is Back! How to Listen to Your MLB Favorites and the Grizzlies

DON'T MISS

Trump Says He’s Settled on a Tariff Plan That Is Set to Take Effect Wednesday

DON'T MISS

Auto Sales Surged in Anticipation of Trump’s Tariffs

DON'T MISS

Raid Or Rumor? Reports Of Immigrations Sweeps Are Warping Life In CA’s Central Valley

UP NEXT

California Just Blew Its First Deadline for Voter-Approved Healthcare Measure

UP NEXT

Fresno County Sheriff’s Pilot Takes His Last Flight as He Retires After 31 Years of Service

UP NEXT

Baseball Is Back! How to Listen to Your MLB Favorites and the Grizzlies

UP NEXT

Raid Or Rumor? Reports Of Immigrations Sweeps Are Warping Life In CA’s Central Valley

UP NEXT

Three Missing Fresno Teens Found Safe After Nine Days

UP NEXT

Lakers Hold Off Rockets With 6 3-Pointers Apiece From Dorian Finney-Smith, Gabe Vincent

UP NEXT

Athletics Bat Boy Stewart Thalblum Takes Down Drone in Left Field

UP NEXT

NFL Postpones Tush Push Decision but Passes Other Rule Changes, AP Source Says

UP NEXT

March Madness: It’s South Carolina vs. Texas and UCLA vs. UConn in Women’s Final Four

UP NEXT

Kings County Authorities Recover Stolen Tractor. Suspect Faces Prop 36 Penalty

David Taub,
Senior Reporter
Curiosity drives David Taub. The award-winning journalist might be shy, but feels mighty with a recorder in his hand. He doesn't see it his job to "hold public officials accountable," but does see it to provide readers (and voters) the information needed to make intelligent choices. Taub has been honored with several writing awards from the California News Publishers Association. He's just happy to have his stories read. Joining GV Wire in 2016, Taub covers politics, government and elections, mainly in the Fresno/Clovis area. He also writes columns about local eateries (Appetite for Fresno), pro wrestling (Off the Bottom Rope), and media (Media Man). Prior to joining the online news source, Taub worked as a radio producer for KMJ and PowerTalk 96.7 in Fresno. He also worked as an assignment editor for KCOY-TV in Santa Maria, California, and KSEE-TV in Fresno. He has also worked behind the scenes for several sports broadcasts, including the NCAA basketball tournament, and the Super Bowl. When not spending time with his family, Taub loves to officially score Fresno Grizzlies games. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, Taub is a die-hard Giants and 49ers fan. He graduated from the University of Michigan with dual degrees in communications and political science. Go Blue! You can contact David at 559-492-4037 or at Send an Email

Fresno County Sheriff’s Pilot Takes His Last Flight as He Retires After 31 Years of Service

8 hours ago

A Palestinian From the West Bank Is First Detainee Under 18 to Die in Israeli Prison, Officials Say

8 hours ago

How Safe Is It to Walk to School? Fresno County Wants to Find Out

9 hours ago

Baseball Is Back! How to Listen to Your MLB Favorites and the Grizzlies

9 hours ago

Trump Says He’s Settled on a Tariff Plan That Is Set to Take Effect Wednesday

9 hours ago

Auto Sales Surged in Anticipation of Trump’s Tariffs

10 hours ago

Raid Or Rumor? Reports Of Immigrations Sweeps Are Warping Life In CA’s Central Valley

10 hours ago

House Speaker Johnson Fails to Squash a Proxy Voting Effort From New Moms in Congress

10 hours ago

UN Agency Closes Its Remaining Gaza Bakeries as Food Supplies Dwindle Under Israeli Blockade

11 hours ago

Hooters Goes Bust and Files for Bankruptcy Protection

11 hours ago

Elon Musk Reclaims Top Spot on Forbes’ Billionaires List

Elon Musk has reclaimed his position as the world’s wealthiest individual, according to Forbes’ 39th annual World’s Billio...

5 hours ago

5 hours ago

Elon Musk Reclaims Top Spot on Forbes’ Billionaires List

7 hours ago

California Just Blew Its First Deadline for Voter-Approved Healthcare Measure

Nassau Hall at Princeton University is in Princeton, N.J., Oct. 8, 2024. (AP File)
7 hours ago

Trump Administration Halts Dozens of Research Grants at Princeton University

After 31 years of service, Fresno County Sheriff’s Deputy IV and Pilot Michael Sill is retiring, having logged over 10,000 flight hours.
8 hours ago

Fresno County Sheriff’s Pilot Takes His Last Flight as He Retires After 31 Years of Service

Khalid Ahmad holds a poster of his 17-year-old son, Waleed, who died in an Israeli prison, that reads in Arabic, "The hero prisoner Martyr, mercy and eternity for our righteous Martyrs," in the West Bank town of Silwad, northeast of Ramallah Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (AP/Nasser Nasser)
8 hours ago

A Palestinian From the West Bank Is First Detainee Under 18 to Die in Israeli Prison, Officials Say

9 hours ago

How Safe Is It to Walk to School? Fresno County Wants to Find Out

9 hours ago

Baseball Is Back! How to Listen to Your MLB Favorites and the Grizzlies

Vehicles at an Audi showroom in Miami, March 29, 2025. President Donald Trump has said that tariffs would encourage auto companies and their suppliers to move to the U.S. (Saul Martinez/The New York Times)
9 hours ago

Trump Says He’s Settled on a Tariff Plan That Is Set to Take Effect Wednesday

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend