iePolitics: Can justice be found in San Bernardino County? – Introduction

Justice in San Bernardino County has become as elusive as a Sasquatch or the Lockness Monster.  Perhaps not as evident to the public but obvious to many of those close to the system who witness the backroom deals, the personal relationships between oppositing parties, and the actions taken for political gain.  Only in San Bernardino County do we have the Public Defender sleeping with the District Attorney literally; the Conflict Panel, which is supposed to represent indigent defendants, donating heavily to the District Attorney and Sheriff; and judges with financial arrangements connected to officers of the court.

“Innocent until proven guilty” is simply a slogan of a bygone era that has given way to a system of justice mired in politics and apathy.  The Constitution of the United States be damned if it doesn’t fit the political plans of a chosen few who are not afraid to use the power granted to them by that same constitution to  use the justice system for political and financial gain. Continue reading

iePolitics: Corruption Defendant Got A Taste of Justice in San Bernardino County

I like “I told you so’s” even to my friends.  Former San Bernardino County Assessor Bill Postmus got an “I told you so” from me yesterday.

Up until yesterday, Superior Court Judge Micheal Dest seemed to be doing the “right thing” during the hearings for the corruption defendants, at least in comparison to Judge Duke Rouse, who has been doing anything but the “right thing.”  But I spent two years working for the little man and tried to tell Bill and Jim that Dest would do what is best for Dest politically. Continue reading

InlandPolitics: Public Defender removed from Postmus case

  • Written by Blogger
  • Posted April 30, 2010 at 9:23 am

The San Bernardino County Public Defender was replaced and outside counsel was appointed for former Assessor Bill Postmus this morning during a hearing in San Bernardino County Superior Court.

Judge Michael Dest barked at Postmus when Postmus attempted to inform the court he didn’t want to be represented by the conflict panel. Dest told Postmus something to the affect of if you don’t like it you can pay for your own attorney. Continue reading

InlandPolitics Commentary: Will pro-transparency Editor Frank Pine support release of Ramos material? – Part Two

  • Written by News Editor
  • Posted May 1, 2010 at 8:11 am

After receiving a few feedback comments I decided to write a follow-up piece to my first story on this topic in a effort to make my point clearer.

The op-ed written by Frank Pine, Editor of the San Bernardino Sun / Inland Valley Daily Bulletin titled “Whose attorneys are they?” available here lists a myriad of block walls county supervisors “could have” employed to avoid waiving attorney-client privilege related to the Colonies Settlement matter. A waiver was requested by San Bernardino County District Attorney Michael Ramos and California Attorney General Edmund “Jerry” Brown in order for their prosecutors and investigators to access documents and lawyers who worked on the litigation. Continue reading

InlandPolitics Commentary: Will pro-transparency Editor Frank Pine support release of Ramos material?

  • Written by News Editor
  • Posted April 29, 2010 at 9:29 am

Sun / Daily Bulletin newspaper Editor Frank Pine put in some extra effort over the past few weeks.

He even inked an op-ed column on the subject.

Pine and his newspapers spent their time hammering away at the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors over their slowness to waiver “Attorney-Client Privilege” protecting documents and lawyers involving the $102 million Colonies Settlement from being accessed by state and county investigators. Continue reading