Child molestation case set for trial

PORTALES — Both the defense and the state are prepared for trial in a child molestation case, the prosecutor and defendant told Judge Donna Mowrer on Friday.

Rocky Banda, 36, of Amarillo is representing himself in the trial, which is scheduled for March 28-30.

Banda was arrested in February 2016 and charged with 24 counts of criminal sexual penetration of a child, as well as criminal sexual contact with a child and bribery of a witness. His victim was allegedly molested over several years.

Banda has proclaimed his innocence throughout the court proceedings.

During a pre-trial conference Friday, both parties said they were prepared for trial.

Banda asked the judge for a written deposition from Assistant District Attorney Jake Boazman since he will not be appearing in court the week of the trial. Boazman’s role will be covered by Deputy District Attorney Brian Stover.

Mowrer and Boazman explained to Banda that Boazman has no knowledge of occurrences regarding the case without witnesses providing him, so asking Boazman to testify or take part in a deposition would be pointless.

“I have no personal knowledge of things said or done. It’s all hearsay (if it's my account),” Boazman stated, adding that he obtains information on cases through reading reports and conducting interviews.

Banda also said he had another letter he needed to disclose to the state that he planned to use for evidence, and Mowrer told him to do so at the end of the conference.

He also told the judge he would still like to conduct an interview with the victim’s mother, but did not want to violate his no contact order.

Boazman told Mowrer that Banda was within his rights to do so as his own attorney. Mowrer told Banda to arrange the interview with the district attorney’s office.

The state is set to call four witnesses in the three-day trial, while Banda has 18 witnesses.