The Fresno County District Attorney\u2019s Office asked Judge Brian Alvarez to limit the questioning of witnesses around an alleged sexual assault by Quick<\/a> on a teen girl \u2014 who has only been described as \u201cJane Doe\u201d \u2014 who was a friend of Michael. The girl is on the prosecution\u2019s witness list.<\/p>\n Clovis police alleged the sexual assault was the motivation behind the slaying. Michael was the driver for her boyfriend, Byron Rangel, who shot Quick in the back of the head, according to prosecutors. Both teens were 16 on the night they allegedly killed the 18-year-old Quick.<\/p>\n Chief Deputy District Attorney Kendall Reynolds said in court Thursday the conversation between Jane Doe and Michael around the alleged assault and Michael\u2019s reaction were all fair game in the trial, but he asked the judge to prevent further questioning of other witnesses about whether they believed the sexual assault occurred.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s irrelevant in general. It\u2019s really meant to inflame the proceedings,\u201d he said in the courtroom. \u201cVetting the truth, the veracity, is not probative of guilt or innocence.\u201d<\/p>\n The prosecution will introduce text messages \u2014 referencing the alleged assault and conversation between the two girls \u2014 that need further questioning, according to one of Michael\u2019s attorneys, Sally Vecchiarelli. The prosecution should not be allowed to restrict the defense while trying to use the alleged assault as a murder motive.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s kind of like he\u2019s requesting (that) he\u2019s allowed to use it but we\u2019re not,\u201d she told the judge.<\/p>\n Because the trial is a juvenile case, there is no jury to hear the evidence. The judge will act as the finder of truth in the case, which means he can hear the evidence and determine on his own what is relevant, Vecchiarelli said.<\/p>\n Alvarez ultimately decided he could not offer a \u201cprophylactic ruling\u201d against questioning, saying it would be difficult to draw the line before hearing the questions. He said the attorneys will have to be ready to object questioning they believe to be too far.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s going to require you to stay on your feet,\u201d he said in the courtroom.<\/p>\n Alvarez was assigned the case on Thursday, when he also made an ethical disclosure he said was required under court rules. The judge said he endorsed Jeff Hammerschmidt, Michael\u2019s other attorney, in the lawyer\u2019s race for the<\/a> Fresno County Superior Court Judge Seat 7. Hammerschmidt\u2019s judicial race is headed<\/a> for a runoff in November against Jose Salazar, a public defender.<\/p>\n The shooting death of Caleb Quick in Clovis<\/p>\n Michael has been charged with murder plus an enhancement for being a co-conspirator in a crime involving a gun. A Fresno County judge determined in May the Fresno DA\u2019s Office failed to meet the requirement to have her transferred to adult court, so she faces a juvenile trial.<\/p>\n As a juvenile, Michael faces up to seven years of confinement or up until she turns 25, prosecutors have said.<\/p>\n Police allege she helped plan the killing of Quick on April 23, 2025, in the parking lot of McDonald\u2019s near Herndon and Willow avenues. Rangel shot Quick in the back of the head at arm\u2019s length as Quick left the eatery, according to prosecutors.<\/p>\n Michael\u2019s attorneys have argued the teen girl was not aware that Rangel had a gun and planned to use it on Quick.<\/p>\n Rangel is awaiting his own transfer hearing, which will determine if he can be tried as an adult for a charge of murder plus an enhancement for lying in wait.<\/p>\n Michael\u2019s trial resumes at 9 a.m. Monday.<\/p>\n This story was originally published July 30, 2026 at 4:39 PM.<\/p>\n Related Stories from Fresno Bee<\/p>\n![\"Caleb](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1785295510_288_image.png\" "\\"image.png\\"")
Caleb Quick, 18, was killed in April at a McDonald\u2019s parking lot in Clovis, California. Caleb Quick’s GoFundMe ![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/10.png\" "\\"10.png\\"")
A white Tesla is shown on a surveillance video after the shooting death of Caleb Quick. CLOVIS POLICE DEPARTMENT <\/p>\n