The Associated Press
Posted: 05/23/2009 07:55:00 PM PDT
RIVERSIDE, Calif.—A grand jury has issued a report criticizing the Riverside County district attorney's office, saying it operates under a pervasive climate of fear and calling into question decisions to take certain cases to trial.
The three-page report about District Attorney Rod Pacheco's office came after the grand jury heard testimony from current and former prosecutors.
"(They), as well as members of other county agencies, reported a pervasive climate of fear and intimidation within the DA's office," the report states. "Fear of retaliation was described as inhibiting initiative."
The grand jury also found that deputy district attorneys were not permitted to manage their assigned cases and needed get a supervisor's approval for everything.
Pacheco also discouraged case settlements, preferring to send cases to trial, thus contributing to the congestion of Riverside County courts, the report found.
Pacheco's office published an eight-page rebuttal stating the findings were false or unfounded.
The conclusions were reached "without the benefit of significant discussion regarding their merits with District Attorney Rod Pacheco" the rebuttal stated.
The report, published Friday, also faulted a special executive division, run at a cost of nearly $500,000 last year, whose functions replicate duties previously performed by existing staff.
The grand jury published a string of recommendations including allowing trial deputies to participate in case decision making and reducing court congestion by following established procedures for case settlement.
http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_12439216?nclick_check=1
No comments:
Post a Comment