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For those following the trials of the former Los Angeles Sheriff, Undersheriff, and subordinates following instances of inmate abuse and interference with an FBI investigation into those instances, the Ninth Circuit just handed down its decision in the case of former U/S Tanaka.
Paul Tanaka appealed his conviction (resulting in a five year federal sentence) on the grounds that the trial judge allowed improper references to be made into his alleged membership in the "Lynwood Vikings."
The court upheld his conviction in a very short decision. In sum, it declined to consider most of his arguments since they were not objected to at trial, and not properly pled in the appeal.
As of today, all of the accused former department members are serving their time, except for the former Sheriff. He lost his effort to stay out of prison pending his appeal, but the court allowed him to make another effort before the trial court.
I'll remain firmly of the opinion that the many subordinates in this case were overcharged and their penalties too harsh in relation to the degree of their misconduct, but the Sheriff and Undersheriff very much orchestrated the conduct that deprived many of justice, and that frustrated the investigation of that misconduct by the FBI. The two did a lot of damage to an outstanding organization.
Paul Tanaka appealed his conviction (resulting in a five year federal sentence) on the grounds that the trial judge allowed improper references to be made into his alleged membership in the "Lynwood Vikings."
The court upheld his conviction in a very short decision. In sum, it declined to consider most of his arguments since they were not objected to at trial, and not properly pled in the appeal.
As of today, all of the accused former department members are serving their time, except for the former Sheriff. He lost his effort to stay out of prison pending his appeal, but the court allowed him to make another effort before the trial court.
I'll remain firmly of the opinion that the many subordinates in this case were overcharged and their penalties too harsh in relation to the degree of their misconduct, but the Sheriff and Undersheriff very much orchestrated the conduct that deprived many of justice, and that frustrated the investigation of that misconduct by the FBI. The two did a lot of damage to an outstanding organization.
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