Rodney Melville
Rodney Scott Melville is a presiding judge in Santa Barbara County's superior court. He was the judge in Michael Jackson's 2005 child molestion trial, in which Jackson was acquitted.
Biography[edit]
Melville was born in 1941 and studied at San Diego State University and Hastings College of the Law, University of California.[1]
Melville, now living in Sacramento, California, became an attorney for the firm Melville & Iwasko and became a state certified specialist in family law. Melville served as a deputy district attorney in the San Bernardino County district attorney's office for two years.[1]
In 1987, Melville was appointed to the municipal court bench. After three years he was promoted to the superior court.[1]
Melville retired as a judge for the superior court in 2007, having served 17 years.[2]
People v. Jackson[edit]
In 2005, Michael Jackson was accused of child molestation by a 13-year-old boy. The case went to court and Melville was appointed the presiding judge. Prior to the start of the trial, Melville banned cameras from the courtroom, put a gag order on both sides and oversaw a three-day jury selection procedure.[1]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d "Biogs.com"
- ^ "Santa Barbara County Superior Court : Judge Rodney S. Melville". www.sbcourts.org. Archived from the original on 2001-04-25.