In his ruling, Goethals wrote the “serious misconduct” of former Orange County District Attorney prosecutor Michael Murray and his team was so egregious Wilkins must instead be tried for second degree murder.
Tag: Thomas Goethals
Posted inCountywide, Government, Investigative, Safety, Security & Justice, Top Stories
OC Sheriff Could Be Required to Testify on Jailhouse Informants
Sheriff Sandra Hutchens could be called to testify in a hearing later this month, which will explore whether her department attempted to cover up a jailhouse informants program by intentionally destroying or withholding key discovery documents related to the case of mass murderer Scott Evans Dekraai.
Posted inCountywide, Investigative, Safety, Security & Justice, Top Stories
Judge in Dekraai Case Says He May Consider Dropping Death Penalty
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.
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, 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
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.
