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.
Tag: Tony Rackauckas
Posted inCorrections, Countywide, Government, Top Stories
State Watchdog Fines Funder of OC Ethics Commission Measure
The state Fair Political Practices Commission is fining the campaign committee behind a ballot measure for a county ethics commission because it failed to disclose funding of a robocall call featuring Supervisor Todd Spitzer.
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, Top Stories
The Year in OC Political Theater
In a normal year, Orange County gets more than its fair share of political theater. In 2016, one of the most important election years in recent history, it was worthy of Broadway.
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, Investigative, Top Stories
Feds Test Rodney King Law With Jail Informants Investigation
The U.S. Department of Justice investigation marks the first time the 1994 law, which historically has been used against police departments, is being directed at a prosecution agency for constitutional rights violations in criminal cases.
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.
