Orange County Register

Suspended defense attorney Joseph Cavallo — once a member of Mike Carona’s inner circle — will take the stand today in the public corruption trial of the indicted sheriff.

Cavallo, who made headlines when defending Greg Haidl during two sexual assault trials, is an alleged, unnamed co-conspirator in the case and is testifying as a prosecution witness. Federal prosecutors allege Carona and his former top aide, George Jaramillo, funneled Cavallo Sheriff’s Department lawsuits for profit. Prosecutors also say Cavallo replaced Carona’s former mistress Debra Hoffman at the law firm of Jaramillo, Hoffman and Associates — referred as the campaign headquarters for Carona’s 1998 bid for office.

This morning, Orange County District Attorney’s Office investigator Dina Mauger continued her testimony, and was cross-examined by Carona’s attorney, Brian Sun.

Mauger told jurors yesterday that she interviewed Carona twice in 2004 during a state investigation into Jaramillo and his relationship with a Newport Beach company, CHG Technologies.

This morning, she said a state probe into Cavallo’s involvement in a bail bonds scheme — which resulted in Cavallo’s conviction – stemmed from that Jaramillo probe.

About the case

• Complete coverage
• Live notes from the trial
• Frank Mickadeit’s column on Carona
• Interactive of Mike Carona’s career

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