Earlier this month, the
California Grand Jurors' Association announced the publication of an
informative new 50-page eBook. It was created to answer questions about
California civil grand juries and their watchdog role in local governments.
Lou Panetta, the president
of the association, says they hope to increase the pool of qualified grand
jurors.
Our intent is to get
people to understand the value, the impact they can make as citizens. They can
recall an official, they can vote against or campaign for another official and
they can demand a change," Panetta said.
In Kern County over the
last year, the cities of Arvin, McFarland and Maricopa were investigated and
reported on by the civil grand jury, in addition to the Fairfax school system.
All 58 counties in the
state have to impanel, per constitutional law, a grand jury every single year.
The publication includes information on the history and mission of the grand
jury.
The civil grand jury is
made up of citizens who conduct investigations on local governments and report
findings to other citizens to be confused with a criminal grand jury, which is
held in secret and involves the county's district attorney's office looking at
evidence for possible indictment.
The book can be downloaded
here.
Bakersfield Now/Eyewitness
News KABK
Savannah Welch
March 15, 2022
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