◼ Drug busts, plea deals, high profile cases that make headlines. The media covers those but the daily grind of following a case from start to finish is not something that entices a reporter or reader. Usually.
The human face of the criminal justice system are the addicts, the mentally ill, the abused, the poor, the ones who do not have the support of family or friends yet survive and succeed.
This last week, there have been at least two success stories that were very heartwarming. This happened in two courtrooms this week, as I waited for yet another case to be called. The case I was covering was grinding its way through the painstaking slow criminal justice procedures; dates being reset, resolutions being discussed.
I like to follow the life of the case. It is one of the reasons I do this regular court beat. It gives a view into the reality of the criminal justice system....Read the rest, at the link.
Hey John Chiv,
ReplyDeleteSo you are endorsing Firpo. I saw your blog about there being only 1 DA this and 1 DA that.
There is also only 1 DA that is paying you to say all that great stuff about her.
I appreciate the shady way he answers the question asked of Firpo on lost coast. So now he is the spokes person, endorser, and court blogger. Wtf is up with those ethics. But I'm sure it won't matter since according to his upstanding moral ground one must not post anonymously for to be considered valid.
ReplyDeleteI see that you are dancing around the fact that you know she missed court because she was campaigning. Fuck! I get it you are voting for her, this one is about sunshine and not you or firpo! feel for the victims once in a while and just stop! Fess up and do your jobs. That's what you get paid to do right firpo??? We know what chiv gets paid to do be her unethical troll while people are dying and killers are set free, but hey chiv says it's all good so it must be!?!?!
ReplyDeleteAll I have to say is thank God for Firpo. Fleming supporters talking about Firpo's work ethic is hilarious. Their candidate has never held a full time job and spends all her time campaigning.
ReplyDeleteIs it Maggie's excellent legal advice to post anonymously so you can't be sued for libel or Arnie's years of experience in how to intimidate someone anonymously.
DeleteWhat is amusing is the first two comments are about a post on Chiv's blog not Rose's blog.
Chivs blog does not let you post unless the court jester approves. So yeah people post here.
ReplyDeleteIt is Chiv's blog. Don't like the rules, start your own blog.
DeleteI don't care about your personal issues with Chiv.
I don't care about your whiny ass.
Deal with your issues offline. We are not your therapists here.
Maggie has worked "full time" for a good part of her career. She also has the proper priorities when it comes to family. AKA if you give birth to a child, the least you can do is raise it...you know, be apart of their school functions and shower her with love.
ReplyDeleteAs a result, at Paul's office, she worked 38 PAID hours, but worked many more UNPAID. It is called hard work and dedication.
Wow we really are on another planet when people are calling Maggie lazy. I never thought I would see this day.
When she worked DTF it was 24/7. That is DTF which stands for "Drug Task Force" and not "Department of Tobacco & Firearms", Ms. Firpo.
Get over your Maggie crush and deal with reality.
DeleteIs she raising a child when she is driving all around town during a work week for lunches and campaigning?
Hard worker or government paper pusher?
Maggie worked 3-4 days per week in the DAs office and frequently left early. That's creative math to stretch that 38 hours. I believe her daughter is about 15. Apparently she has been in labor for a long long time .
Deletethe below comments are between Chiv and an anonymous blogger on this blog regarding the Firpo not Klein letter on 4/18 anonymous writes, "And, some 140 comments later, the Firpo side is still stuck with a plastic candidate who graduated law school 5 years ago, whose last job before law school was for a company called "Doggy Duty" [you figure it out], who has done about 20 trials and lost or hung 20 percent of those, who won't post a real resume, has yet to try and win a murder case, who hides her linked in page and all the work history she can. Oh, by the way, where was she on Tuesday, when a misdemeanor deputy was picking the Bodhi Tree jury for her? Look, over there, it's Terry Farmer!!!Agggh!"
ReplyDeleteOn 4/18 Chiv responds
"Anonymous, are your her boss? No. So Elan does not owe you answers why she was not there on Tuesday.
And you are anonymous. So state your name. Unless you are affected by the case, what business is it of yours whether someone else covered for her that day or not.
Has no other candidate ever taken the day off? Has no other DDA have someone cover for them on a case?
That day the only people in the courtroom were the attorneys, the court staff, the judge, prospective jurors and myself.
I doubt that you are any of the above mentioned. You are someone who supports another candidate; you are someone who either works in the DA's office or in the courthouse and therefore would notice that Jackie subbed for Elan.
Your personal insult of Ms. Pizzo's ability and Elan and personal nature of your comments are very telling of your motivation and agenda. Get off your high horse. State your name and then everyone on this blog can proceed to dissect your work history and character.
I don't think you have the guts.
And the latter applies to all anonymous comments directed at anyone on this blog. Don't hide behind the "I have something to lose". If you want to make unfounded accusations, sign your name."
4/18/2014 10:45 AM
So chiv...who was where and did what and what is going on.....Oh I know now...more lies.
Campaigning is difficult work.
ReplyDeleteIt's even harder when the candidate is also working, whether it is full or part time. It's hard on families, it's hard on working women with kids, but male candidates also deal with kids.
Juggling schedules IS tough, unless the candidate takes a leave of absence. Deals worked out between a candidate and their boss are their business, and quite likely mean the candidate shoulders the burden and puts in EXTRA time, either at night after getting home from XYZ campaign event, or on weekends, or both.
There are so many things that matter here - don't focus on the chicken-shit things.
PROSECUTORS work hard, put in way more hours than they are paid for, do not get comp time, or overtime pay, and they (the good ones) put in the hours it takes, even if it means they're up all night, even if they give up weekends.
Give some respect to these people. They're running because - ALL OF THEM worked in that office, SAW what was and is wrong, KNOW it has to be FIXED, and CARE enough to put themselves through this wringer to get a chance to fix it.
If you support them - help them. WALK. Make calls, Help with fundraisers. Donate time and money. Put up some signs. Talk to your friends. Host a get together with your friends to meet the candidate(s).
Don't pick at little things. Cut them all some slack.
Tell us why Firpo is good instead of making up stuff about fleming?
ReplyDeleteStop excusing these lies as pressure of campaigning. She is not doing her job. This one is about life and death I give no concern for her campaign pressures when she has a job to do that is in regards to two young people loosing their lives. Stop begin deceitful. Chiv lies and she doesn't give two shits about justice.
ReplyDelete6:25 the Ferrer case is not the only tragic case. There is the Sanchez case. Other cases where people lost those they loved.
ReplyDeleteThe only one exploiting and continuing to use this case are Fleming and Klein and his supporters.
Klein did not take on any other case with plea deals. He took a case which was being prosecuted by an opponent.
Do you think voters cannot see through the obvious attacks on Firpo and her supporters and why?
Your grief could be genuine.
If you are not a candidate supporter, show respect for Mr. Jordet and his family. Do not talk about a case that is not the topic of this post.
Lets say it together there 7:27 the Tree jury....did I say Ferrer. NO I did not! stop detracting from the point that she is ditching her duties and Chiv is lying. Also there 7:27 seems an awfully familiar tactic of Chivs that you are using. Ditraction and deceit.
ReplyDelete7:42 I think you just proved 7:27's point about who you really are.
ReplyDeleteThere was no valid or real point that 7:27 was making. They changed cases that were being talked about and tried to twist the information. Good try though. The point is Chiv confirmed on 4/18 that Firpo was not in court for the beginning of jury selection or questioning for the Tree case. That is all, there was no other point I did not bring up anyone else to twist old shit into new. This is what is happening and Chiv got caught giving up gag order information while reporting and being paid from a campaign. All unethical behavior.
ReplyDeleteThere is no gag order on information in an open courtroom.
ReplyDeleteAny opinion other than yours is not valid, blah blah blah. Got that 16 comments ago and again blah blah and again
Get a gag order on yourself. You sound like a broken record.
I agree with many of the comments above. I think that we should just stick to what the various candidates can offer. Personal attacks are distracting.
ReplyDeleteWe have one candidate who knows a lot but doesn't have the respect of the various stakeholders in the county in order to lead. That would be ARNIE.
There is one candidate who can lead but who does not have the respect of the various stakeholders to get the necessary support. That would be ALLAN
There is one candidate who does not have the requisite experience. She does not have the support of the various stakeholders as she is too new to the law and to this county. That would be ELAN.
There is another candidate who has the experience, the respect, and the support of all the various stakeholders and IS a leader. That would be MAGGIE.
I am not in love with MAGGIE. Her qualifications and integrity speak for her. All the various attacks I have been silently watching on this and various blogs seem petty and without substance. She has my vote. I am just grateful that someone of her class and honesty is willing to run.
Yeah, and only Allan and Maggie have ever volunteered to do anything for the community...before they ever decided to run. Allan with his work with Vets and Maggie at KEET, League of Women Voters, and the school board.
ReplyDeleteI don't think Klein or Firpo even knew there was community service until they decided to run.
9:57 that is your opinion.
ReplyDeleteArnie, Allan and Elan supporters can make similar points for their candidate.
The problem with Maggie supporters is that you refuse to see her lack of qualifications for this position. We need an administrator, not a volunteer, not someone who is just a lawyer.
She has supporters I like and respect but she has chosen to sell her soul and have Losey, Neely, Atkins, and people like Bob and Pam Service support her. That could backfire on her.
She has shown how two-faced she can be when people chose to support Arnie, Allan or Elan. They no longer matter.
If you want a petty DA, elect Maggie Fleming.
11:00 AM, sorry but you're a clown.
ReplyDeleteClown, pig. Keep those insults coming. The voters need to see the real you and what your candidate character is like.
ReplyDeleteCan't dispute facts so you name call.
Two faced? Petty? Those are comments never before used in reference to Maggie, in my experience.
ReplyDeleteRun for office and all the venom comes out!
She does have the qualifications for administrator - 27 years experience. You cannot administer something that you don't know.
You cannot seriously think that Maggie won't make a good DA.
Perhaps you are worried that she will be TOO good?
Also, how does your name calling, show Maggie's bad character? You lost me there.
If you did not read the post the first time, not my problem.
ReplyDeleteMaggie supporters have decided she is the chosen one. Here is a shocker, not every one agrees. Deal with it.
4:23 I'm sure that is the problem. The other candidates are afraid she is too good. That does seem to be her campaign strategy. How dare anyone question her illegal activities or failures! Stop it.
ReplyDelete7:02 nailed it!
DeleteQuestion all you want...this is a free country and an open election.
ReplyDeleteBut really. We have someone so inexperienced that she actually said, at a DA Forum, that DTF stands for Dept of Tobacco and Firearms. How can she clean up the drugs in this county if she doesn't know that DTF stands for Drug Task Force? Even the misdemeanor attorneys - just hired - know that.
Or think that a victim with a bruised right arm, a defensive wound, and a stab to the heart "fell on a knife." And, that such a victim's family does not even deserve a preliminary hearing or a referral to Victim Witness?
That is only the tip of the iceberg of what she doesn't know.
How can we re-build a DA's office when she cannot possible train other prosecutors? Or hire any experienced ones.
I guess we just hope that none of our family or friends gets murdered.
Citations please.
ReplyDeleteI follow pretty close. Never heard the DTF thing and she never said "fell on the knife"
You're making things up
The "fell on the knife" claim was from the Defense Attorney, Marek Reavis, not Firpo.
DeleteI would be surprised if Maggie Fleming didn't win. she is obviously well qualified and appeals to a wide cross section of the county.
ReplyDeletedispite the person or persons that keep up the negative BS comments. It would appear that it's not only the Fleming supporters that think she will be a good DA and win!
Don't even know why she's wasting time campaigning, actually.
DeleteYep. It's in the bag. Firpo should actually drop out now and save herself the embarrassment.
DeleteIf it's in the bag, why do you keep feeling the need to build her up constantly.
DeleteThat's interesting. It's also your own reality. I don't have a candidate. But I have ranked them and Fleming is #3 for me. I respect her supporters but disagree with them. Good luck to all.
ReplyDeleteAnon 9:44, she said Dept of Tobacco & Firearms at the Ocean West Senior DA Forum. Firpo stepped right up to explain what DTF stood for. Shocking.
ReplyDeleteYou couldn't make this stuff up. It would be funny if it weren't so frightening.
I believe Fleming worked with DTF (Drug Task Force) for 4 years...the length of Firpo's entire felony prosecuting career.
Dealing with drug addiction,the resulting crime, and deaths surrounding it, are my main issues for our next DA. I can't vote Firpo. Not after that.
1:34, I think it is pretty amusing not shocking. Mixing the acronym ATF with DTF is not a big deal to me, and that shit happens all of the time, but if it twists your shorts so be it.
ReplyDeleteWhat was an embarrassing response(not shocking) was a certain candidates only management experience being some 40 years ago as a kid working at the family janitorial service.
At the Tea Party Debate Maggie was all for the Sheriff's policy on nightime releases. They have a bathroom and a warm lobby!
DeleteYesterday she brings up SB 833 that was plastered all over the media.
Suddenly vertical prosecution and recruiting from law schools is her idea.
The woman has no original thoughts.
As for the signs, who is going to say no when a law enforcement volunteer wants to put a sign up?
Oh really
ReplyDeleteCreating a business that will allow them flexibility with their kids is a big part of the motivation for Elan Firpo and Dawn Carlson, partners in the burgeoning Doggy Duty pet waste removal service.
http://lesliedinaberg.com/wordpress/?p=4206
Wtf. And your point is? This is not adding to the conversation.
ReplyDeleteVertical prosecution and recruiting from law schools are ideas as old as dirt.
ReplyDeleteThe difference is that Maggie knows how to get the grants to get us vertical prosecutors.
And she has the gravitas to be able to hire experienced prosecutors...because of her experience and integrity.
How are we going to get experienced attorneys to join the DA's office with an attorney who is 6yrs old and never done a murder trial?
Easy. Go and recruit them from other places.
ReplyDeleteHow are we gonna get experienced lawyers with the idea of getting kids from law school and mentoring them working part time. That was a stupid response from one of the candidates. Just plain lame.
So now, in addition to janitorial experience being considered management by Fleming and her supporters; Fleming is an experienced grant writer.
ReplyDeleteThe shit just keeps pilin up.
If she said that then it is another whopper and should get her 4 pinnochio's. Where did she say thatl? If it's true it really will be a voting issue for me given all the other stuff piling up.
ReplyDeleteThis is so disappointing. The freaking far left nuts finally arrived at the correct reading of Gallegos as the train wreck he is and this group of 4 is all that is left to run?. This should have happened 8 years or 4 years ago.
This is a hold your nose election
The janitorial experience as management at the KEET debate.
ReplyDeleteThe grant writing said and implied at KEET debate.
Too much misinformation in the media. People need to meet the candidates and pause and think before they vote.
If she said she was a grant writer for cast during the short time she decimated it she is a liar.
ReplyDeleteShe may have signed her name in a form for noncompetitive funding but that's so far from grant writing that it's brazen.
Competive grants require applicants to submit applications or proposals to obtain funding. Grant awards of funds are based on the quality of the grant proposal and the compliance of the proposal with the grant requirements. In a competitive grant the organization or agency often releases a request for proposal (RFP) or a request for applications (RFA). This process is grant writing.
Non competitive grants are also called "formula" or "entitlement" funding. The money is allocated based on the type of program. The entity has to simply apply for this funding in order to receive funds. They are notified of their allocations on an annual basis to confirm that they still want the available funds. This is basically fill in the blanks in the form *name address size etc* annually and mail it with the correct postage.
There is no basis for claiming anybody but Gallegos "decimated" CAST.
ReplyDeletehttp://watchpaul-articles.blogspot.com/2007/02/former-deputy-da-speaks-out-by-glenn.html
Jackson and Wes Keat of the District Attorney’s Office praised Flemming for her hard work and commitment. Jackson said her criticism of Gallegos should in no way reflect on Flemming.
“I believe that you will find that Maggie’s work, her skill and dedication, is universally acknowledged as being beyond reproach,” Keat said. “She has 20 years of successful experience as a prosecutor, including a substantial background in sexual assault, not to mention homicides. Maggie is simply the best.”
“I can tell you there is no other attorney I admire more in the world than Maggie Flemming,” Jackson said.
Ask Jackson what she thinks now that she isn't running against Paul!
ReplyDeleteFleming was specifically called out in the grand jury report. Hate Paul all you want Rose. Maggie took the program down by neglect and not saying anything. Others get responsibility for failures in that office. Especially the ones with 20 years of time. Should know better
Be careful quoting articles when you don't know the full story, 2:23.
ReplyDeleteRose, there are people who know the story way, way better than you do or ever will.
ReplyDeleteSo what Is the story? This is an election and we have the right to know.
ReplyDeleteThe story is Gallegos crippled CAST. He began when he fired Jackson, the prosecutor who was the main "face" of CAST and who was hated by Gallegos and Russ Clanton. This move was what drove out Wade. Later PVG reassigned Isaac and gave CAST to Schwartz, who was incompetent and lazy. All along PVG paid more attention to defendants than to victims. All the agencies saw his priorities. Along the ay the primary interviewer, not a DA employee, also got moved. Every agency lost confidence in CAST. Fleming tried hard to keep the team together, but was undermined by PVG every step of the way-assigning Schwartz to CAST, for instance- and over time the agencies just walked away. This did not happen all at once but it began, and was really obvious nothing good was coming, when PVG fired Jackson. CAST still functions, and has good, dedicated people, but it's not what it was by a long shot.
ReplyDeleteOk, anyone who uses PVG is a DA office employee. Nice try defending Fleming but the 2005 GJ report attacked her leadership, which she has touted. Schwartz did not run CAST in 2005. He didn't even start working there until later that year.
DeletePaul Gallegos is not running for DA. Maggie Fleming is and people should look up and read the grand jury reports themselves.
ReplyDeleteNot one or two. The story here will not be complete. There are just observations.