Day Fifteen - And still No Expert Witness on Lunesta? - UPDATED

UPDATED:

◼ Former Blue Lake Police Chief David Gundersen has been cleared of all major charges first filed against him in 2008. - Arcata Eye MARCH 2012

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No Expert Witness on Lunesta? I haven't read anything about an expert witness testifying about the effects of Lunesta, did I miss that? Did Gallegos call one? Neglect to call one? Isn't that the crux of his case? That she was under the influence of Lunesta, therefore she was - raped? Is it gonna be Clanton who calls an expert witness who, in a way has the exculpatory evidence of Lunesta's own homepage?

So far the testimony seems to be all about what Darcie Seal did or didn't say and when and to whom. Who heard her say what, and not very much about Gundersen at all..

Today's coverage shows the trial is still mostly about Darcie ☛ ER Former co-workers blast Seal’s character

And in the ☛ TS Defense witnesses question Gundersen's wife's honesty

Regarding whether the guns were for departmental use: In addition: Former Blue Lake Police Chief David Gundersen let one of his sons and the wife of a department officer fire the submachine gun he is charged with illegally possessing, one of his former officers testified Tuesday, describing the department as a “family environment.”

Former Blue Lake Police Department Officer Joseph Dominic Gerace testified that he and his wife joined Gundersen, his wife -- then Sgt. Darcie Seal -- and his two sons at the College of the Redwoods Police Academy shooting range. Gerace said he went to the range to qualify to use his department-issued pistol, but wound up firing the 9 mm Heckler & Koch MP5 submachine gun instead.

When questioned by District Attorney Paul Gallegos, Gerace testified that he believed firing the submachine gun that day was the beginning of his training regiment on the weapon. Gerace testified that he thought it important to train on Gundersen's weapon “just in case” his chief needed backup.


And this: District Attorney's Office investigator Wayne Cox re-took the stand and testified that he had investigated Seal on suspicion of grand theft in March following Gundersen's arrest.

”In doing the investigation of Mr. Gundersen, it was due diligence on the part of our office to investigate all aspects of the case,” Cox said.

Cox testified that he interviewed Carl Patton, who pleaded guilty to discharging a firearm in a grossly negligent manner and was sentenced in March to serve three years in prison, and that Patton alleged that Seal had allowed him into the Blue Lake Police Department's evidence room “to shop.”

Cox testified that Patton alleged Seal allowed him to take weapons on one occasion and on another, let him take grow lights that he then used to grow marijuana in a house he was renting from Gundersen and Seal.

Gundersen's attorney, Russell Clanton, also represented Patton.

Under cross-examination, Cox testified that he followed up by asking Seal about Patton's allegations, and that she denied giving weapons to Patton, who is her ex-brother-in-law.

And, this: Former Blue Lake records clerk and Darcie Seal's aunt, Ruby Seal, also took the stand, testifying that Darcie Seal would mock Gundersen while on duty at the department, which made Ruby Seal uncomfortable. She testified that Darcie Seal took care of the Gundersen family finances and that she never saw Gundersen be verbally abusive or threatening.

Darcie Seal, her aunt testified, worked inconsistent hours and often didn't show up at work over the last year and a half she was employed with the department. She testified that she began to question Darcie Seal's honesty.

”I doubted some of her honesty, yeah, because she would change her story from time to time,” Ruby Seal testified.

Gerace also testified that he had doubts about Seal's honesty, saying she often wouldn't follow through on things she said she would do.

”My opinion was she could not be trusted,” Gerace said. “Her opinion did not hold any water with me toward the end.”

The former Blue Lake officer also testified that Darcie Seal would ridicule Gundersen in front of other department employees about his weight. She did it in a “jovial fashion,” Gerace testified, but added he didn't feel it was appropriate for the work place.

Gerace also described Darcie Seal as being “insubordinate,” often questioning, and at times overriding, Gundersen's departmental decisions.

”What Sgt. Seal said went -- that's how I understood it,” Gerace testified.

Darcie Seal's teenage son also took the stand Tuesday, testifying that he'd never seen Gundersen threaten or abuse his mom.

Under cross-examination, Gallegos asked the teenager about statements he made to investigators that his mom had told him, prior to Gundersen's arrest, that Gundersen had been sexually abusing her. Darcie Seal's son said on the stand that those statements weren't true.

More and more bizarre. Joan Gallegos also took the stand and Paul declined to cross-examine her.

UPDATED:

◼ Former Blue Lake Police Chief David Gundersen has been cleared of all major charges first filed against him in 2008. - Arcata Eye MARCH 2012

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