The judge handling the sentencing trial for mass murderer Scott Evans Dekraai said Friday that misuse of jailhouse informants by Orange County prosecutors and Sheriff’s deputies may cause him to consider “the nuclear option,” throwing out the death penalty in the case.
Tag: Scott Evans Dekraai
Posted inCountywide, Investigative, Safety, Security & Justice, Top Stories
Sanders: Sheriff’s Department Tried to Cover Its Tracks in Jailhouse Snitch Scandal
Orange County Sheriff’s deputies were openly and actively encouraged to cultivate jailhouse informants to aid prosecutors and the department covered its tracks as revelations about the program unfolded in court, according to a 72-page motion filed by Assistant Public Defender Scott Sanders Thursday.
Posted inCountywide, Investigative, Safety, Security & Justice, Top Stories
State AG To Seek Death Penalty For Mass Shooter Scott Dekraai
Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced he will seek the death penalty against Scott Evans Dekraai.
Posted inCountywide, Investigative, News Briefs, Top Stories
U.S. Attorney’s Office: Resignation Won’t Affect OC Jailhouse Snitch Investigation
Officials in Los Angeles say the resignation of U.S. Attorney Eileen Decker won’t affect their investigation into the Orange County jailhouse snitches scandal.
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, 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 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.
Posted inCountywide, Government, Investigative, Top Stories
Feds Announce Investigation Into Jailhouse Snitch Scandal
The U.S. Justice Department probe will center on how DA prosecutors and sheriff’s deputies illegally gleaned information from jailhouse informants and violated defendants’ rights by not disclosing that information to their attorneys.
Posted inCountywide, Government, Investigative, Top Stories
Sheriff’s Records Shed New Light on OC’s Jailhouse Snitch Scandal
Nearly 250 pages of notes documenting a secret jailhouse informant network run by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department were released Monday, providing an unvarnished view of how snitches were utilized in violations of defendants’ rights.
