For the past nine months, Orange County’s watchdog agency has been left without a director. But that could change with a possible vote Tuesday by county supervisors to appoint the new head of the Office of Independent Review.
Tag: Jailhouse Snitch Scandal
Posted inCountywide, Investigative, Norberto Santana Jr.
Santana: Orange County’s Criminal Justice Complex in Crisis
Jeff Lalloway’s departure as Supervisor Todd Spitzer’s chief of staff is another window into the dysfunction that is Orange County government. It’s fitting that it comes as more records violations come to light in the jailhouse snitch case.
Posted inCountywide, Government, Investigative, Top Stories
Judge in Snitch Case Again Rebukes Sheriff for Records Issues
Superior Court Judge Thomas M. Goethals Friday ordered Sheriff Sandra Hutchens to retain all relevant jail informant records after disclosures that the county Board of Supervisors had at one point approved a policy allowing such records to be destroyed.
Posted inCountywide, Investigative, Norberto Santana Jr.
Santana: Searching for Watchdogs in Orange County
Three central countywide oversight agencies — the Office of Independent Review, the ethics commission and the performance auditor — are all funded but remain vacant.
Posted inCountywide, Investigative, Top Stories
Judge Again Issues Rebuke to DA’s Office
Superior Court Judge Thomas M. Goethals said two former DA prosecutors, who are now judges, engaged in “serious misconduct” in a murder case. But he stopped short of barring the entire office as he did in the jailhouse snitch case.
Posted inGovernment, Investigative, Top Stories
Rackauckas Likely to Face Yet Another Investigation
The county Board of Supervisors indicated this week that they’ll launch a probe into the DA’s controversial DNA collection program.
Posted inCountywide, Government, Investigative, Top Stories
DA Fills Position Recommended by Panel in Wake of Snitch Scandal
District Attorney Tony Rackauckas has promoted one of his top subordinates, Jim Tanizaki, to be his second-in-command in response to recommendations from an independent panel of attorneys.
Posted inCountywide, Government, Investigative, Top Stories
Judge Set to Decide Whether to Bar DA From Another Murder Case
Like in the jailhouse snitch case, Superior Court Judge Thomas Goethals is being asked to remove District Attorney Tony Rackauckas’ office from a murder case due to allegations that prosecutors violated the defendant’s right to a fair trial.
Posted inCountywide, Government, Investigative, Top Stories
Jailhouse Snitch Scandal Brings Another Year of Headlines
Nearly four years ago, a Superior Court judge requested that the Orange County district attorney’s office turn over a large cache of records having to do with jailhouse snitches. The fallout from that request continues today.
Posted inCountywide, Government, Investigative, Top Stories
Dekraai Judge Threatens O.C. Sheriff With Contempt Hearing
Superior Court Judge Thomas Goethals said Friday that Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens is close to contempt of court for how her department has responded to repeated requests for records related to the use of jailhouse informants.
