Ramos

By PE News
on October 5, 2010 11:57 AM

San Bernardino County supervisors approved the hiring of an outside law firm to defend District Attorney Mike Ramos in a sexual harassment lawsuit by a former investigative technician who worked in his office.

Cheryl Ristow of Redlands filed a $1.5 million lawsuit last month against Ramos, claiming they had an affair that ended in 2005. She said she was retaliated against when it appeared the affair would become public.

Ramos has denied the allegations. An internal inquiry by the county cleared him of retaliating against Ristow but did not look into the sexual harassment allegation.

The board approved the hiring of attorney Richard Marca of the firm of Gresham, Savage, Nolan and Tilden to defend Ramos. A separate attorney, Eugene Ramirez of Manning and Marder will defend the county. Separate attorneys are needed due to the complexity of the case and to avoid a conflict of interest, according to a staff report from County Counsel Ruth Stringer.