Plea postponed for rape suspect

A Colusa man accused of rape has been given a few more days to enter a plea in his case.

Colusa County Superior Court Judge John H. Tiernan on Wednesday told Jose Alfredo Jimenez, 24, to get an attorney or one will be appointed for him.

"People say justice delayed is justice denied," Tiernan said. "There is a lot of truth to that on both sides."

Jimenez was arrested Jan. 16 in connection to a reported rape of a Colusa woman, authorities said.

He was scheduled to enter a plea on the charges two weeks ago, but was granted two extensions, at his request, to allow more time for the family to retain a private attorney.

"These are serious charges," Tiernan told Jimenez, on his second appearance in court. "I think you need counsel, whether retained or appointed."

Julio Cesar Granados, 27, of Williams, has also been charged in the alleged incident.

Granados pleaded not guilty last week through public defender Albert Smith and is scheduled to appear in court next Wednesday for a preliminary hearing.

Both Jimenez and Granados, along with a juvenile, were charged with multiple felonies, including forcible rape, sodomy and kidnapping after a Colusa woman reported being raped on a Colusa levee, sometime before 4 a.m. on Jan. 16, sheriff's officials said.

Law enforcement learned of the accusation after the woman was admitted to Colusa Regional Medical Center for treatment, according to Sheriff's Lt. Shane Maxey.

Maxey said Jimenez was taken in to custody the same evening after he voluntarily answered questions about the incident.

Granados, 27, turned himself in to the Williams Police Department on Jan. 26, after a warrant had been issued for his arrest, Maxey said.

The juvenile was arrested at an out-of-county detention facility, where he was being held on an unrelated charge.

Jimenez and Granados are being held in the Colusa County Jail on $1 million bail each. Both are scheduled to be back in court next Wednesday.

Contact Susan Meeker at 458-2121 or smeeker@tcnpress.com.