The torture allegation against one of the two suspects in the murder of a 70-year-old Nevada County veteran is still dismissed. Judge Candace Heidelberger has rejected an appeal, by the D-A’s Office, of a prior dismissal ruling by another judge. Deputy District Attorney Chris Walsh says 43-year-old Michael McCauley still faces a potential sentence of 25 years to life in prison, if convicted, but not life without parole…

Meanwhile, Walsh says he’s open to the possibility of separate trials for McCauley and Bryant. He says sometimes co-defendants, especially in this case, make statements to try to shift the blame against each other…

McCauley and Bryant are scheduled to be tried together on February 18th. Walsh says a determination on separate trials will likely be made during trial readiness proceedings in January. Separate trials would vacate the current trial date. Stan Norman was killed in April of last year.