The Salon Meritage murder trial has been scheduled to start almost a year after Seal Beach killings took place. according to the Orange County Superior Court Web site.
A Friday, Jan. 27 trial scheduling conference ended with a judge setting Oct. 15 as the date for the trial of Scott Dekraai, 42, of Huntington Beach, who has been charged with murdering eight people and attempting to murder a ninth on Oct. 12, 2011. The Seal Beach Police Department arrested Dekraai five-and-a-half minutes after receiving the first 911 call about the murders.
Dekraai recently pleaded not guilty to the charges stemming from the shootings. The Orange County Grand Jury recently indicted Dekraai, making the preliminary hearing that was scheduled for April unncessary. However, the indictment did make it necessary for the court to hold a second arraignment hearing and for Dekraai to enter his not guilty pleas to each of the charges once more.
So far, Dekraai, who is represented by the Orange County Public Defender’s Office, has not yet entered an insanity defense. So far, the defense has not requested a change of the trial location.
The District Attorney’s Office is seeking the death penalty in the case. Death penalty cases are rare in Seal Beach.
