OCRegister.com
SUBSCRIBE | IN TODAY'S PAPER | E-REGISTER | CUSTOMER SERVICE | SIGN-IN | HELP | ADVERTISE
Search:
Total Buzz ~ The insiders' hotline to Orange County government and politics

Archive for the 'Sheriff' Category

Lawsuit of Carona rival moved to Los Angeles federal judge

June 1st, 2009, 1:15 pm by Rachanee Srisavasdi

The lawsuit of former Sheriff’s Lt. Bill Hunt against the county and former Sheriff and convicted felon Mike Carona will be handled in federal court up in Los Angeles — since U.S. District Judge Andrew Guilford of Santa Ana has recused himself from the case.

Read a Crime Scene post about it here.

Guilford presided over Carona’s public corruption trial.

Judge again throws out suit against deputies over pensions

May 22nd, 2009, 6:54 pm by NORBERTO SANTANA JR.

A Los Angeles Superior Court judge has once again thrown out the county’s case against Orange County deputy sheriffs seeking to roll back a portion of their pension enhancement, referred to as “three at 50.”

Last month, county officials amended their original complaint against the deputy sheriffs after Judge Helen Bendix threw out the majority of their case. She allowed county officials to restate one claim if they could prove that the annual payments for the retirement benefit were making it impossible to meet bills.

After a series of closed session meetings, supervisors finally amended their argument but ignored Bendix’s instructions and instead restated their argument that the retroactive benefit violated the state constitution’s debt limits because it granted benefits that were not earned.

Apparently, Bendix wasn’t convinced. The question now facing supervisors is whether they continue their effort and appeal her decision to a higher court.

Read the rest of this entry »

County budget faces tough times, expenditures down $1 billion

May 18th, 2009, 7:11 pm by NORBERTO SANTANA JR.

Get ready for the mother of all budget cycles, one that hasn’t been seen by insiders since the dark days of the 1994 Orange County bankruptcy.

Just a day before voters decide the fate of six different budget-related propositions on Tuesday, local budget officials are tensely preparing for this summer’s annual public budget debate.

Note that this is a county budget that is actually smaller than it was last year, contracting by more than $1 billion. The proposed 2009-2010 budget now hovers at the $5.5 billion mark.

The county’s half-cent sales tax that funds public safety is down 10 percent and internal reserves are running out.

And with more than $100 million in budget cuts aimed at public safety, this is one debate that will likely get ugly. And fast.

Read the rest of this entry »

Ex-sheriff must serve prison time starting July 24, judge rules

May 15th, 2009, 4:19 pm by Rachanee Srisavasdi

U.S. District Court Judge Andrew Guilford has just denied ex-Sheriff Mike Carona’s motion to remain free pending appeal.

Guilford heard arguments this morning from Carona’s lawyers and prosecutors.

Carona was sentenced last month to 66 months in prison for urging his ex-assistant Don Haidl to lie during a grand jury probe of the Sheriff’s Department.

Carona has to turn himself in on July 24.

Carona’s attorney, Brian Sun, said lawyers would appeal the judge’s decision.

Read the Register’s story here.

About the case

Transcripts show deputies changed testimony in TASER case

May 12th, 2009, 1:39 pm by NORBERTO SANTANA JR.

District Attorney Tony Rackauckas stands behind his department’s characterization that a recent excessive force case against a deputy sheriff failed because other deputies stood by a code of silence, changing their testimony between a grand jury proceeding and the court trial.

But during a morning press conference, Rackauckas said those comments only relate to the case of Deputy Christopher Hibbs and not the entire department.

“It was meant to apply to this case and not suggest any department-wide policy,” he said.

Please enable Javascript and Flash to view this Brightcove video.

Last month, department spokeswoman Susan Kang Schroeder ignited a firestorm of acrimony from law enforcement unions across the state and Sheriff Sandra Hutchens after she repeated prosecutors’ closing trial statements to reporters noting that the Hibbs prosecution was hurt because deputies stuck by a code of silence.

Read the rest of this entry »

Carona lawyer: Ex-sheriff not a public danger

May 12th, 2009, 10:17 am by Rachanee Srisavasdi

Defense attorneys for former Orange County Sheriff Mike Carona — who wants to remain free pending appeal of his witness-tampering conviction — filed a brief Monday that discounts the government’s claim that Carona might commit more crimes.

Read the rest of this entry »

Judge will hear ex-sheriff’s plea to remain free pending appeal

May 11th, 2009, 9:38 am by Rachanee Srisavasdi

U.S. District Judge Andrew Guilford just scheduled a 10 a.m.  Friday hearing on ex-sheriff Mike Carona’s motion to remain free pending appeal.

Carona was sentenced last month to 66 months in prison for urging his ex-assistant Don Haidl to lie during a criminal probe of the Sheriff’s Department. He wants to remain free until the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco weighs in on his appeal.

As of now, Guilford has ordered Carona to turn himself in on July 24.  Prosecutors lobby for immediate incarceration.

Why didn’t Rackauckas charge ex-sheriff with crimes?

May 7th, 2009, 4:35 pm by Rachanee Srisavasdi

Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas testified this week in the wrongful termination lawsuit of former Assistant Sheriff George Jaramillo.

Read a Crime Scene post on why he said he didn’t charge former Sheriff Mike Carona here.

Ex-sheriff in uniform

April 29th, 2009, 4:10 pm by Rachanee Srisavasdi

Mike Carona showed up in a grey suit and blue tie for his sentencing on Monday, but reporters mostly remember him in this olive green sheriff’s uniform.

Register reporter Larry Welborn recalls how he turned down a cap and gown at a Cal State Fullerton graduation ceremony in favor of his official sheriff’s  garb. Read the post here.

About the case

Foreman in ex-sheriff case seen at Jaramillo civil trial

April 29th, 2009, 2:19 pm by Rachanee Srisavasdi

The jury foreman in the recent federal trial of ex-sheriff Mike Carona came to Orange County Superior Court today to see George Jaramillo testify in his civil trial.

Read my post about it in Crime Scene here.

About the case

ADVERTISEMENT