An Appalling Example of California Justice . . .

[s/v 'Faith']

Originally Posted by Hiracer

Oops. Should be ' An unethical purpose.'

We knew what you meant.

[Hiracer]

LAKE COUNTY The Lake County Sheriff's Office posted all the files in the case against Bismarck Dinius Thursday on the office's Web Site in an effort to answer questions from the public.


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"It is my duty to take every step necessary to fulfill our mission SECURE THE PUBLIC'S TRUST," Sheriff Rod Mitchell said in a press release. "Transparency is an important part of that process."


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A PDF file, mp3 files of 9-1-1 calls, photos and soon videos will be available at Lake County Sheriff's Department. The files and instructions are in links on the home page.



Sheriff posts Dinius files - www.record-bee.com





One of Perdock's first statements to 911 is that he hit a boat with no lights.

He was going so fast that never saw the lights. At all.

[Hiracer]

The report contains a copy of a blood test for Perdock, referencing an "offense date" of 4/30/2006.

It notes a positive test for opiates. Page 23 of the pdf document.

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Reading the report is an exercise in cognitive dissonance. The admitted excessive speed of Perdock is simply not a contributing factor to the accident. Drinking and no lights were the causes.

[YOGAO]

I like how the witnesses in the John boat were recorded as saying the sailboat was moving in "zig-zags". While not written down, when reading it I got the feeling that zig-zag was code for "drunkenly".

A couple of points OTOH. Perdock sounded pretty calm and professional on the 911 calls. The eyewitness reports are pretty consistent that the lighted PB suddenly hit something in the dark (aka unlit). The LCSO investigating officer pretty quickly recommended that an outside agency be brought in (which was approved).

At the end of this terrible tragedy though, I still have to wonder how Perdock received NO charges.

[scotte]

Originally Posted by Hiracer

LAKE COUNTY The Lake County Sheriff's Office posted all the files in the case against Bismarck Dinius Thursday on the office's Web Site in an effort to answer questions from the public.

Of course we can only know what they post, not what they didn't. And of course there would be no files on things that they intentionally didn't do in order to protect Perdock anyway!!

Just my opinion...

[scotte]

Originally Posted by YOGAO

I like how the witnesses in the John boat were recorded as saying the sailboat was moving in "zig-zags".

Hmm... like a sailboat tacking maybe?

Originally Posted by YOGAO

I still have to wonder how Perdock received NO charges.

No kidding, join the crowd on that one!

[Not Sure]

It's Lake County.....land of bikers, cranksters, and ne'er-do-wells...but I repeat myself. I would trust law enforcement up there as far as I could throw them. And its been that way for more than 25 years.

[slomotion]

Even though the election is over a year away, Hopkins already has 2 declared challengers for the D.A. job:

http://lakeconews.com/content/view/10061/764/

Lake County News | California - Rhoades to run for district attorney

[Not Sure]

Originally Posted by slomotion

Even though the election is over a year away, Hopkins already has 2 declared challengers for the D.A. job:

Lake County News | California - EXCLUSIVE: DA's race takes shape early as Anderson announces challenge to Hopkins

Lake County News | California - Rhoades to run for district attorney

You're missing the point. It's Lake County, California. Putting a different person in any position and expecting any difference in the type of 'justice' available to the average non-well-connected citizenry is akin to electing a different DA or Mayor in Tijuana, Mexico and expecting that individual to magically clean up all of the endemic corruption. It isn't going to happen. In Lake County, the entire 'system' is in bed with bikers and the drug trade, specifically methamphetamines, and it's been that way (as I said) for at least 25 years now. The county is so isolated that nobody appears to give a rat's ass that its like that too.

[slomotion]

Point taken. And I notice that both challengers are former Lake County law enforcement.

[Chief Engineer]

And this has what to do with sailing?

[slomotion]

Originally Posted by Chief Engineer

And this has what to do with sailing?

Well, hopefully it's the beginning of the end of the career of the man who persecuted a sailor and refused to prosecute a reckless power boater, who just happened to be the Chief Deputy Sheriff. This DA is also a man who continues to slander the victims as "drunken sailors on the lake at night with their running lights off" on his public web site.

[Hiracer]

Originally Posted by slomotion

and refused to prosecute a reckless power boater

who needlessly killed a fellow sailor by his excessive speed on a moonless night.

All of us are at risk if this reckless mentality is continued. Just think about your dinghy ride at night back to the mother ship.

Who is not at risk?

[TaoJones]

From today's 'Lectronic Latitude, it seems Bismarck Dinius is being forced to liquidate some of his possessions to pay off his legal expenses:

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"Bismarck just let us know that he's selling some of his assets to pay for his defense. 'The expenses of the trial — compounded by the loss of my job — have forced me to sell my 1969 Soling,' Dinius reports."

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To read the rest of the piece, and to see a picture of the Soling, go to:

Latitude 38 - The West's Premier Sailing & Marine Magazine

Scroll down to "Miscarriage of Justice Forces Sale."

TaoJones

[TaoJones]

In last Friday's 'Lectronic Latitude, it was reported that Bismarck Dinius has taken a long-anticipated step:

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". . . the loss of his job due to the time he was forced to take off to plan his defense, coupled with the overwhelming cost of that defense, has forced his hand. As Lake County News' Elizabeth Larson reported yesterday, Dinius has hired Berkeley civil rights attorney Lawrence Masson, who filed a much-anticipated administrative claim — the first step in a civil lawsuit — against Lake County for wrongful prosecution."

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To read the entire report, go to:

Latitude 38 - The West's Premier Sailing & Marine Magazine

TaoJones