QUESTIONS TO ASK OUR LOCAL OFFICIALS, INCUMBENTS AND THOSE RUNNING IN
THIS
SONOMA COUNTY ELECTION YEAR


A version of this post and nine others were "disappeared" yesterday
from a
craigslist.com rants and raves for the northbay. In the light of the
recent
ENRON decision, this modified version, used with permissions, may be an
important post and message to pay attention to: "No one, no matter how
wealthy, is above the law" was the pertinent message sent last evening
regarding the victory in the punishment of the ENRON criminals. It is
an
important message that we need to bring to our county as well.

In late April, a West County champagne heiress, 38, and her fiancé, 31,
were
arrested for sexual assault on two 22 year old female employees in the
executive lounges after hours at the River Road facility. Please note
that
this is not just another rant about a “frivolous lawsuit” case. It is,
however, about crimes committed; sexual assault, threats, and the
"you-don't-know-who-my-family-is-and-how-we-can
ruin-you-if-you-open-your-mouths-about- this” mentality; rather, this
is
about abject arrogance, a sense of entitlement, and an apparent belief
that
one can buy their way out of any crime if they have enough money and
are a
member of a prominent wine industry family.

QUESTIONS TO ASK

Why was the K_rbel heiress and alleged perpetrator in this case,
allowed to
be "whisked in a side courtroom door by her attorney, not on her
scheduled
on-the-docket court date, but on the arraignment date of her
accomplice? Why
were she and her attorney then allowed to stand alongside the accused
31
year old male and his female attorney before the honorable cousin of
our
current District Attorney (the judge of record for this arraignment),?
How
were they all able to do a tidy little plea together for a continuance
or
postponement until a June date" when she and her case were NOT ON THE
DAY'S
COURT DOCKET? Why was this allowed to happen? Or, what is the legal
way
this could have taken place?

Why is the silence abounding about this case? Are there "friendly
favors"
(in a campaign year) within the local political, law enforcement and
justice
system that are flowing furiously? Were the So Co Sheriff's office or
DA's
offices asked to hush up the subsequent fallout until attorneys, PR
people,
often-used private investigator teams could attempt a west coast to
east
coast investigation in order to mount a disinformation and smear
campaign
against the victims?

The Victims' attorney still cannot get the initial police crime reports
in
accordance with the State of California Victim’s Bill of Rights
accessibility statutes. After weeks of waiting, has he gotten the “good
old
boy runaround? The Sheriff says, “Get the police reports from the DA’s
office”. The DA’s office says, “Get them from the Sheriff". The
victim’s
attorney doesn't get them at all, and isn't that somewhat illegal under
the
Victim’s Bill of Rights laws? Why is this allowed to happen? What is
the
true delay? Or, again, what is the law?

What does the Sonoma County District Attorney’s office have to say
about
holding up his report because the DEFENSE ATTORNEY was allowed to
deliver
HIS private investigator's reports to his office...? What about this
oddest
bit of legal procedure known in modern California political history,
AND THE
QUESTION OF THE HOUR TO THE DA'S OFFICE HANDLING THIS MESS: When
exactly did
accused rapists/sexual predators start briefing the DA who allegedly is
supposed to be prosecuting them? Isn’t the DA supposed to be
representing
the victims in this case and conducting his own investigation on behalf
of
the victims? How is information from the legal team of the person
arrested
for a crime allowed to even enter into the arraignment picture? There
was
enough physical evidence to warrant the initial arrest. What’s the
delay?
Yes, you read that right. The DA’s office reported that they were
still
considering the Defense’s private investigator’s reports that had been
"turned over to the DA's office". Once more, for you legal eagles, is
this
the norm?

Have local officials allowed this case to be compromised? What is this
wine
industry family's long time political and financial connections to our
current elected officials? Has this case already been tainted by the
defense with carefully orchestrated innuendos dropped to the press
regarding
these assaults being "consensual"—and have there been carefully
coordinated
press releases from our local sheriff?

Why can't the Victim’s attorney, you, me or the local media get the
initial
police crime reports, in accordance with the State of California
Victim’s
Bill of Rights statutes? What is the delay? Why is this attorney
getting
the “good old boy runaround”? WHY DID the Sheriff's Department say “Get
the
police reports from the DA’s office”? Why did the DA’s office say, “Get
them
from the Sheriff"? WHY HASN'T the victim’s attorney gotten them at all
under
the Victim’s Bill of Rights? Is the delay in all of this to buy time,
banking on the concept that it could quietly die down and perhaps go
away
without too much attention?


WHEN DID THE VICTIMS BECOME INSIGNIFICANT IN ALL OF THIS?

They have lost their jobs at this winery, sustained broken and sprained
limbs from the violent incident, and are suffering with all of the now
contaminated, hate- filled and erroneous half -truths of the event
leaked
out in a radical online forum. What about their suffering?

It is important to ask the local media why they haven't investigated
and
kept this as a high-profile case. In the light of yesterday’s ENRON
rulings, it is also important to ask the questions to our officials and
to
send a clear message: Sonoma County will not tolerate our officials
allowing big industry wine money to run justice in this county. Don't
let
another Sonoma County rape case go unpunished--particularly one tainted
with
such arrogance and such possible strong financial ties to our local
elected
officials.

BE OUTRAGED. As the saying goes, “If you are not outraged, you’re not
paying
attention”.

BE OUTRAGED FOR YOUR, DAUGHTERS, WIVES, CHILDREN, SISTERS, FRIENDS and
STRANGERS WHO HAVE EVER BEEN RAPED, THREATENED OR SEXUALLY ABUSED IN
THIS
COUNTY—

Or anywhere! -- But, particularly for those historically ignored in our
own
West Sonoma County backyards.