I don't know what does:
I read Mr. Gallegos recent article in the Arcata Eye. Here is a man that says he needs a third term as Humboldt County District Attorney to finish what he started. That is a scary statement, especially if you are one of the victims of his incompetence.
I had the unfortunate opportunity of watching Mr. Gallegos try to prosecute what was suppose to be a murder case in Humboldt County Court. This man is no more a prosecutor than I am a brain surgeon. Mr. Gallegos was always late to court, could not answer any of the judge’s questions and always had the excuse that he did not have the case file with him.
The court-appointed, taxpayer-provided attorney for the defense made Mr. Gallegos look like a deer caught in the headlights and virtually kicked Mr. Gallegos’ butt all over the courtroom.
Some say that Mr. Gallegos needs to leave the courtroom to his deputies and administrate but he has proven that he cannot do this either. The morning that the preliminary hearing was to begin, Mr. Gallegos dropped the case into one of his deputy’s lap, and sent her into the courtroom late and totally unprepared.
After the preliminary hearing, Mr. Gallegos felt that with all of the publicity that this case was getting he could get some personal mileage out of handling the case himself, so he takes it away from the deputy after she spends day and night for a week getting up to speed.
After months of delays from the defense, numerous blunders from the prosecution and thousands of Humboldt County taxpayer dollars Mr. Gallegos decides he cannot prevail in the courtroom in front of a jury, so he plea bargains with the two who took my little girl’s life.
Mr. Gallegos then gives the file to one of his most talented prosecutors so she can go to the victim’s family and try to clean up the mess he made.
Mr. Gallegos did not show up for the sentencing hearing for Jason Whitmill or Anthony Flores which is a good thing because when Mr. Gallegos prosecuted Jason Whitmill back in 2007, he forgot to add his prior felonies which in turn allowed Whitmill out of prison a year early and 12 days before he killed Nicole Quigley.
I will remember this come June’s election and I hope and pray that everyone else in Humboldt County does, too.
Kenneth Quigley
McKinleyville
◼ Letters to the Editor – March 3, 2010 (Updated to include Feb. 24 letters) - Arcata Eye
In response to ◼ The McKinleyville Press ◼ The Arcata Eye - Gallegos: ‘Vast Change’ is a work in progress – February 17, 2010 ◼ The Independent
The really sad part is that none of the current candidates can/will do any better. Either as prosecutors and/or administrators. The Quigley family tragedy sums up the entire Pauly Gags era.
ReplyDeletePaul Hagan should step down.
ReplyDeletePaul Hagan should throw his support to Allison Jackson (after the primary of course).
ReplyDeleteThe other gal, should try and get a grip.
7:51: You are oh so right...recently in a DUI matter she called herself an Ass AND a Bitch in open court.
ReplyDeleteSays Truckloads about her lack of competency as well as her character as a woman.
Not in a million years Kathleen...
The Ass and Bitch comment reference quoted out of context is a desperate and sad attack by someone who clearly does not know Ms. Bryson well.
ReplyDeleteIf you are interested in what was actually said then perhaps you should talk to the jurors on this case who were in court and see how they feel about Ms. Bryson “speaking up” for the rights of the people.
I am aware of this as someone who works daily on Ms. Bryson’s campaign and the lady I respect definitely has class and chutzpah.
In addition to running for D.A., Ms. Bryson also has a private practice yet she takes the time out to talk to people like me whose voices have been ignored for the past 6 years. People that matter to Ms. Bryson include the homeless, the children whose public education is affected by state budget cuts and citizens whose quality of life has been threatened by the scourge of drugs that plague our County.
Ms. Bryson supports many worthy local causes and is a patron of the local arts. St. Bernard’s Catholic School, the Boys and Girls Club, Vector Rehabilitation, Sacred Heart Sunday Teaching School, Betty Chin and St. Vincent DePaul’s efforts to help the poor are just some of the organizations to which Ms. Bryson gives her time and money.
It is time to have character, class and compassion in the D,A,’s office and to show Paul Gallegos “ordinary folk do matter.”
No, the "ass" and "bitch" comments are not out of contest. That is exactly what she said. She also told her client, in her closing to the jury, that he wasn't very bright.
ReplyDeleteShe began her closing by referring to herself as the "creamy filling in a double stuffed Oreo". (I'll never touch one of those again).
The transcript is available, and appalling. I sat through the entire thing, which was painful.