Judge delays convicted rapist's sentencing for motions hearing

Sentencing of convicted rapist Stephan M. Bergeron has been continued, pending a hearing on post-trial motions filed by his attorney.
Bergeron, then of Eunice, was charged in 2009 with one count of aggravated rape and three counts of forcible rape.
A jury in May of this year convicted him of one count of forcible rape and two counts of simple rape.
His sentencing has been continued several times, the most recent on Oct. 3 when Doherty granted a delay until new motions filed by attorney Jarvis Claiborne can be heard.
Doherty has set the hearing for 9 a.m. on Dec. 2.
The nature of the filings is confidential because public access to sex crime cases in 27th Judicial District Court is closed to all but minute records by virtue of a court order, an order that apparently stands alone among Louisiana state courts.
Neither the District Attorney’s Office nor the defense can discuss the nature of the filings with outside parties, under the rule of the court.
What is obvious is that Claiborne has filed motions of some sort seeking some action for some reason.
Alleged circumstances of the case against Bergeron, 24, are also the outside the scrutiny of public record, per the court order.
The bill of indictment against Bergeron alleges he committed rape in December 2006, January 2007, December 2008 and March 2009.