Prosecutors talk to Judge Michael Smith during a pretrial hearing on the Colonies case Friday in San Bernardino Superior Court, in San Bernardino. (Lafonzo Carter/Staff Photographer)
Joe Nelson, Staff Writer
Posted: 11/02/2012 12:21:25 PM PDT
A law enforcement labor union’s political mailer featuring the mugshot of Rancho Cucamonga developer Jeff Burum, a defendant in a sweeping county corruption scandal, could taint the jury pool, Burum’s attorney told a San Bernardino Superior Court judge on Friday.
The San Bernardino County Safety Employees Benefit Association, or SEBA, distributed the mailer last month, encouraging voters to vote yes on Measure R, which proposes to slash pay and benefits for county supervisors to $60,000 a year.
The flier features the mugshots of Burum, former Assistant Assessor Jim Erwin and Mark Kirk, former chief of staff for Supervisor Gary Ovitt.
It also features an inset photo of a wanted flier for former Supervisor Paul Biane, a defendant in the corruption case who authorities said failed to promptly surrender on the day he was indicted as he agreed to do.
The photos appeared along with the word “INDICTED” appearing above them.
Burum’s attorney, Stephen Larson, told Judge Michael A. Smith that the flier had been sent to potential members of the jury pool and could hinder his client’s shot at a fair trial.
Smith said his hands were tied.
“I don’t think I have any jurisdiction to tell SEBA what it can and can’t do,” Smith told Larson.
Larson said he has subpoenaed documents from the labor union trying to find out who’s behind the mailer, and if investigators from the District Attorney’s Office, which the union represents, had anything to do it.
“It’s one thing to use a convicted defendant’s (photograph) in a flier like this, but these individuals, as a D.A. should know, are innocent until proven guilty,” Larson said.
Reached by telephone Friday, SEBA President Laren Leichliter said the District Attorney’s Office had no input on the flier and that he and his political consultant, David Ellis, were solely responsible for its contents
“What he’s (Larson) trying to insinuate with the D.A.’s investigators is false. They had nothing to do with it,” Leichliter said.
Ellis, who is also District Attorney Michael A. Ramos’ political consultant, said Friday he and Leichliter took the proper safeguards when crafting the flier.
“We were very careful the way we worded the flier, and SEBA’s counsel approved it,” Ellis said.
To read entire story, click here.
And some people from SEBA said that having David Ellis as a political consultant for SEBA when Ellis is ALSO the campaign manager for District Attorney Mike Ramos and Sheriff Rod Hoops appears to be a “conflict” on it’s face. YA THINK????
And the ascertion that SEBA attorneys “approved” the mailer without any legal consequence is LAUGHABLE. Maybe no legal consequence but EXTREMELY unprofessional that a law firm SUPPORTS the implication that such a mailer doesn’t do ANYTHING to harm a potential HIGH PROFILE criminal case is outragoues.
And WE know David Ellis encouraged Sheriff Rod Hoops to support James Ramos for the 3rd District Supervisor.
Funny how this mailer is NO BIG deal, but SEBA’s lawyers send a threating “cease and dissist” letter to the administrator of iepolitics when she continued to beat the former SEBA President William Abernathie up in the blog about his past, that is support by FACTUAL information.
SEBA’s double standards are glarring at this point.
Anyone need a crayon to connect the dots???
I sure hope Proposition 32 passes at this point. Some say what goes around comes around.
SEBA are just a bunch of tools for DA Mikey and Sheriff Hoopster, the Devil of a CEO’s own version of Hitler’s SS.
“Larson said he isn’t sure if he’ll argue that the SEBA mailer and the extensive publicity surrounding the case warrants a change of venue.”
Ah! Change of venue?
And air San Bernardino County’s dirty laundry at a point when it’s in the process of a good cleaning- this is the pre-wash cycle…we all know it turns the washer OFF if the LID is OPENED during the cycle!
…as mentioned, Mike Ramos…we’re moving in on YOU…this, among other wrongs, all circle back to YOU!
The pressure many felt to shield Mike Ramos has been cracking; and this new found courage is revealing new information from those who no longer want to participate in Ramos’ deceptions, mayhem, destruction of lives, and tarnishing the District Attorney’s office and it’s scared laws.
Larson Quote:
“It’s unclear if this case will ever go to trial”.
Larson has been batting a thousand so far in this case.
For him to say this transmits a ominous message about this case.
Ramos is running around giving speeches saying he can’t wait for this trial.
The big question? Will Ramos put up his case or will he appeal to the Supreme Court to further delay his day of reckoning.
We know where this case is headed.
Hey Mikey tick tick tick BOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!!!!! Its coming then see ya scumbag DA you and all your lemming buddies PLUS your puppet masters
You folks are delusional. Larson batting a 1000? Burum still has charges against him and is now being used as political baiting. In other words, everyone knows Burum and the people charged with him are crooks except for the five people commenting on this site.
One thing is certain: Mike Ramos won’t be getting laid as much by all them homely and desperate women in his office once he quietly exits the D.A.’s Office with his head between his legs. Notice how quietly both his office and the AG’s office are weaseling around this case? No more big press conferences with big mouths shooting off during election year, no more comments to the press, no more anything. Just a pack of de-clawed wolves looking for a safe place to retreat without further embarrassment Good luck! You people at the DA’s and AG’s office are toast! There’s no backing out of this one, and Burum will be coming for you at full force once your case against him disintegrates. Hast La Vista, baby!
#8…..Empty threats and wishful thinking. Burum is already disliked by all except the few on this site and those SEBA flyers didn’t help him. His best bet is to slither back into his whole and stay out of the public eye for a very very very long time. He is toxic to any politician and any project he touches from now on.
I swear #7&9 sounds like David Ellis himself.
RED, “the five people commenting on this site” are but a whisper.
It’s the one’s that don’t even say a word that should cause you, Ramos, Hoops, Lewis, Emmerson,the Baca’s and others nightmares.
p.s.
With Red’s, stupid comments, I too have had the same thoughts as ACU.
Not being 100% sure, I say nothing, but I want to save the best revenge for last…I’m out for BLOOD, NO mercy, only blood, when it comes to shameless Ellis-if it takes me the rest of my life! If Red is Ellis, then I guess he is wounded, bleeding all over this site, struggling to stay alive.
RAMOS is a DEMOCRAT endorsed by RINOs (Dutton, Lewis, etc)
Now it all makes sense! Scumbag Ellis is involved. That fat vile piece of shit belongs in a sewer. Yes it perfectly fits that hes behind scumbag indian ramos, chief of the san manuel band of mexican mafia indians. Anyone who deals with Ellis is dirty, if not before then certainly after. This guy is the filth of the earth. He will eventually be roasting in the fires of hell as he so justly deserves. Preferably roasting on a hot spit over an open fire with an apple in his mouth. It is easily understood why Ellis has the reputation he has and why people hate the fat slug.
#11…Do you mean like the silent ones that didn’t say a word and voted against Derry in the primaries? You people are severely out of touch, not just with national politics, but even with the political winds within the community. Your ship has taken on too much water and there is no saving her.BTW…..I heard an interesting theory that claimed that these fliers were Burum motivated because he and Larson want to get this case into a new venue. They both know any San Bernardino county jury will CONVICT!. So it is quite possible that this whole article is nothing more than kabuki theater. Does anyone know who Bagley endorsed? HE HE HE HE
Now that the truth about James Ramos has come out since the primaries, the “silent ones” will change their vote to Derry. Ramos can’t hide behind his lying mailers anymore. More people know he’s just another corrupt Democrat. I’m making sure to tell everyone I talk to. Mike Ramos will be the next to go when he runs again.
#15 – “next to go”? Ramos, who brought nationwide press attention to this PIMPLE of a case, IS gone.
Look at this awesome snap shop by Lafonzo Carter of the courtroom IN FULL ACTION…the judge… defense attorneys… and prosecutors…all working in CONCERT without Ramos to a perfect HARMONY.
Which is why “THEY” must keep the lid down, until “THEIR” work is done.
And this is another opportunity to resurrect that “ancient email” of mine. I can’t “remember verbiage” or the “same phraseology when describing the subject” as before, so I’ll copy/paste it:
Anonymous on April 21st, 2012 6:51 pm
At the end of last year my neighbor attended a political meeting at the Redlands County Club where DA Ramos was the “guest speaker.” She caught him on her cell phone,a waste if you ask me, but his grand announcement off the bat, was…
…”I’m moving on now that the Colonies corruption cases are in the courts- and it feels good to focus on SOMETHING ELSE now.”
Watching that, it struck me ODD that our DA would publicly “wash his hands” and abandon the Colonies cases at the most crucial stages; why wouldn’t he see them through? Because they had served HIS political purpose?
Or, are these cases, in reality, HOLLOW?
Ramos, himself, with obvious false urgency, alerted the AG, FBI, our newspapers, local, national and cable news networks that the sky was falling in SBC! Ramos sobbed about how these “defendants were responsible for biggest corruption scandal in SBC, and even maybe the state’s, history.” OH PLEASE, now this just goes to show you how Ramos NEVER steps into a courtroom, where true violent and nonviolent ATROCITIES and scandals occur everyday.
What was not known to the unsuspecting public was that it was an election year- Ramos was up for re-election, as were his political buddies.
What followed, at taxpayers expense, was a horrifying abuse of authority and position as Ramos maliciously planned, choreographed, staged, and got really “creative” with the charges- setting up the defendants in order to punish, retaliate, and take VENGEANCE on them for their UNWILLINGNESS AND REFUSAL to cooperate and back Ramos’ POLITICAL ALLIES.
Over the years we have seen Ramos’ scenario of trumped up charges, selective political prosecution, and total distortion of sacred laws repeated, as with Councilman Jim Miller and Neil Derry.
Since Ramos has publicly washed his hand to the Colonies cases, the burden is solely on the judges and prosecutors in the trenches…all of whom have a reputation of being fair, ethical and politically removed, uh, give or take a prosecutor or two.
Maybe now we can look forward to putting closure to this painful political and personal witch hunt, dismissing the charges, and focusing on rapes, murders, drug trafficking and child abusers.
Lafonzo Carter,
Thanks for the glimpse, your camera’s lens has summed it up in ONE shot!
And the camera DOES NOT LIE!
Dedicated to District Attorney Mike Ramos…with, uh love?
THE TRIAL
-by Pink Floyd
…You little shit, you’re in it now
I hope they throw away the key…
“Just five minutes Worm your honour him and me alone”
Bars in the window
There must have been a door there in the wall
When I came in
Crazy over the rainbow he is crazy….
The evidence before the court is
Incontrovertible, there’s no need for
The jury to retire
In all my years of judging
I have never heard before of
Some one more deserving
The full penalty of law
The way you made them suffer
Your exquisite wife and mother
Fills me with an urge to defecate
Since my friend you have revealed your deepest FEAR
I sentence you to be EXPOSED BEFORE YOUR PEERS!
Tear down the wall!
@ #16 you forgot to include to BOGUS prosecution of cops in the last couple of years.
If you wish to just focus on POLITICIANS when talking smack about Mike Ramos, I think your audience will be limited.
Let’s be real, fry ALL the fish in one basket, not just Derry and Miller.
Remember Ramos had to dismiss charges against Lieutenant Bill Maddox and Russ Wilke recently.
We all remember the news conferance that Mikey and Hoops had about the POST scandal.
That says alot more than the Derry and Miller case.
Just sayin!!!!!!!!!!
#19
IT’S NOT FORGOTTEN, YOU HAVE BEEN PATIENT ABOUT HOOPS, BUT THE GODFATHERS AND FOUNDERS OF THAT ILL- PENROD AND TIDWELL- HAVE FLED.
WE ARE LEFT WITH HOOPS, THE GODFATHER WANNABE, AND HIS BUFFOONS…AND INDEED THEY SHOULD BE DEALT WITH…WE ARE AWARE OF MANY CASES THEY HAVE COVERED UP AND LIED ABOUT AND CAUSED MUCH GRIEF TO MANY.
THE PROBLEM IN GOING FULL FORCE AT THEM RIGHT IS THAT WE HAVE MANY MORE ETHICAL, HONEST AND DECENT LAW ENFORCEMENT NOW THEN BEFORE…
BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE, WE HAVE LAW ENFORCEMENT ON THE RADAR, THEIR ARROGANCE AND LIES HAVE LONG BEEN DETECTED…AND PATIENCE HAS REACHED A LIMIT, AS WITH THESE POLITICIANS…
BTW…WOULDN’T MIKE RAMOS FALL UNDER “LAW ENFORCEMENT”?
Anonymous # 9 eloquently tells us that Jeff Burum should “slither back into his whole [sic],” since he is “toxic” to “any project he touches.”
I wonder if he or she has driven by The Colonies Crossroads recently. I see some of the countries largest retailers doing a substantial amount of business there, and a new phase under construction.
He or she seems to be the one who is “delusional”.
#21….I wonder if you have noticed that an appellate court retained charges against burum and his cronies regarding the colonies SCANDAL? As if that were not enough, he is now passing out mailers smearing himself and blaming SEBA in an effort to get the venue changed because he knows he is toast if he appears before any San Bernardino jury. Sounds like desperation.
@20 yes Ramos is classified as LE.
red,
you are going over the edge…you should start reading back what you write lol
No, I know what I initially wrote and my most current post is based on what others have told me and it just happens to make sense.
what “others” have told you???
YOU GET PAID TO LISTEN TO GOSSIP??????
YEAH, CONSULTANT!
Anonymous # 22 & # 25:
I recommend that you stop basing opinions on “what others have told [you].”
The Appellate Court has dismissed the majority of the charges against Jeff Burum, including all of the bribery charges, and did so based on a demurrer. In other words, they did not review one piece of evidence, but rather upheld the Superior Court ruling that the charges had no legal basis.
Assuming he is tried on what you call the “retained” charges, the prosecution has the burden of proof, and he can defend himself, which he was unable to do in front of the Grand Jury. He will also be represented by attorneys who have abused prosecuting attorneys every time they have entered a courtroom. I like his chances.
Also, your use of the phrase “scandal” suggests that you have read too many Joe Nelson stories, and done too little review of the facts. You should try it; you might be surprised what you learn.
OOF….I have. The main facts are a Methed up supervisor, County lawyers being dismissed from the room during the settlement. $400000. in bribes, oh I mean PAC donations to the supervisors that voted in Burum’s favor. Don’t fool yourself into thinking this is over.
Red Anonymous,
You’re getting pretty lathered-up here.
The is case is headed for dismissal. It’s plain and simple. The case never should have been brought.
Blame your buddy DA Mike Ramos for this fiasco,
Sorry to break the bad news.
Anonymous # 28:
The “Methed up supervisor” that you refer to is the key witness for the prosecution. He has also informed the FBI that he was not bribed.
The county lawyers that were “dismissed from the room during the settlement” were the same ones who had just lost the trial. They wanted to keep fighting and risk a judgment that would bankrupt the county, as long as they were paid to do so.
The “bribes” were fully reported contributions to Political Action Committees made months after the settlement occurred. They were not paid directly to anybody who voted for the settlement. The claim that the defendants “controlled” these committees and received some of that money is one of the prosecutions unproven allegations.
And who would risk their career and prison time by voting to pay out $102 million, and only get $100,000?
I agree with “In the know,” and continue to look forward to the day that Mike Ramos has to disclose how much money he has spent on the prosecution.
I fully expect him to appeal to the State Supreme Court. I do not expect them to hear the case, but he will be able to delay things for several more months by doing so. At this point, delaying things seems to be his best strategy.
@28 you seem to forget that those who now stand accused of crimes, were once the PALS of those who are pointing fingers. WHAT happened? Someone on your side of the aisle not get enough of the PIE???
They enjoyed the friendship and PERKS they got from the rich one also.
They partied together like everyone else.
So the finger pointers who YOU seem to defend have NO HALO over their heads in reality, since you want to spin shit, let’s spin it pal.
They too received DONATIONS for their campaign. Obviously not enough.
One big happy family at one point in time.
If you are David Ellis YOUR fat arrogant butt has a few questions to answer at some point. Hopefully on the witness stand.
SEBA was FRIENDS of those who stand accused also. THEY have been in BED with those who stand accused, and those who POINT the fingers. They still are in BED with the finger pointers. UNDISPUTED FACT.
SEBA through BAD ADVISE of David Ellis will have their own judgement day. At ALL costs they should have stayed impartial to ALL involved.
When a bunch of inexperienced or corrupt cops have voting rights to send money where ever they want, don’t seek the support of their membership before writing checks, DISASTER looms on the horizon. Especially when taking advise from the likes of David Ellis.
Perception is reality when dealing with Mr.Ellis.
Supporting Rick Roelle without a vote of the membership is just ONE example of stupid. I can go on but no need at this time.
Your “spin doctor” crap isn’t going to work here, it did not work in the City of Fullerton despite your best efforts on be half of the corrupt ones there.
The theme of this thread is ABOUT a mailer that was sent out to the public with the pictures of DEFENDANTS NOT convicted of anything at this point.
NOT about who is guilty based on YOUR belief DUMBASS!!!!
The theme is a CHANGE of venue request, by Burum’s attorney. Larson’s duty or right on behalf of his client. SIMPLE stuff. LEGAL stuff.
If Larson is a whore, David Ellis wrote the book on WHORES for personal gain.
But if you want to argue that GREAT, we need to just look at how your pal Mike Ramos and crew can’t even CONVICT a cop of attempting to steal a freakin cigarette lighter, you want us to believe he is going to kick ass and take names on the Colonies crew, OKAY!!!!!
Ramos charges TWO Lieutenants from SBSD with multiple crimes in the POST scandal, when the facts come out, he has to dismiss those charges that should have NEVER been filed in the first place.
A Mike Ramos and Rod Hoops debacle at it’s FINEST!!!!
Ramos files charges on a Sheriff’s Captain for multiple felonies knowing full well the Captain has ALREADY paid the money back, agree to retire, go away quietly.
ONLY when the cover-up became PUBLIC did Mike Ramos at behest of Sheriff Hoops ACT to save his friends butt from OBVIOUS public scrutiny.
Hmmm dumbass, a PATTERN has emerged. But your not paying attention cause you want those who are NOT paying attentionn to drink your “kool-aid”.
YOUR right, this ain’t over till the FAT LADY sings. When is Ramos going to kick her in the butt???
Like all good crooks, Ramos and crew don’t want any of their misdeeds brought out in public either. I know the Colonies crew has at least a couple of scuds they can launch at Mikey.
Now spin that pal!!!
@28, since your an obvious Ramos “water boy”, tell Mikey to hurry up and prosecute the remaining POST defendants.
Even if the remaining are “guilty” they would be DUMB to accept any deal in light of so many issues that could be used to cast REASONABLE doubt on the “motives” behind the prosecution.
That will depend on the attorneys if they have any “balls” to sling the mud at Mikey.
It lays within the discovery of ALL the others involved in the scandal that escaped prosecution. And of course that would involve many high ranking SBSD officials.
Is this just another mud-slinging case being delayed like the Colonies, it appears so.
If all you have to talk about is the Colonies, in light of all the other stuff going on, I’d be QUIET!!!!
I have two observations regarding SEBA and Mike Ramos’s consultant David Ellis hit piece on the Colonies defendants. 1) If Mike Ramos was not part of the discussions, which he ethically could not be, regarding the the creation and the mailing of the SEBA flier, then why has Ramos not fired David Ellis to distance himself from what will be evidence of misconduct by the District Attorney’s investigator’s union? 2) Since Burum was a big Donor to SEBA and they seem to believe he is part of corruption in San Bernardino County, how does the President of the union Leichliter who says he approved mailer, keep the money Burum and his partners donated over the years including money donated after the settlement. Where are the ethics of Ramos or Leichliter on either issue of firing Ellis or returning money from individuals they imply they believe are corrupt, both show their lack of ethical foundation through their lack of action.
You same people that are saying this case is slipping away have been singing that tune for years now and guess what? The case is still in the headlines. To make matters worse, you don’t get the fact that the political and social scene is changing and not in your favor. For instance, I present to you the newest county supervisor MR James Ramos. You know, the guy you were promising was going to lose in a landslide to Derry the criminal. Get over yourselves and come to terms with the reality that you all need to change your thinking. Heck, you guys couldn’t even hold on to a supervisor’s seat, that’s pretty SAD. Oh, before I forget, HE HE HE HE HE HE.
Anonymous # 34:
You state that “people that are saying this case is slipping away have been singing that tune for years now and guess what? The case is still in the headlines.”
The problem is that you have been basing you opinion on those “headlines” instead of the facts. Since you have apparently not been paying attention, here are a couple of those facts:
1) Jeff Burum’s bail has been reduced from $10 Million to $0.
2) All the bribery charges against Jeff Burum were dismissed by the Superior Court, and the dismissals were upheld by the Appellate Court.
That sure seems like a case that is “slipping away” to me.
I like the fact that the guy that got the most out of the whole thing is the one with the fewest charges. He’s buddies will do most of the time, have you ever wondered why their called stooges?
OOF…..He still has two charges against him. That same appellate court had that case for close to a year and if there was no validity they would have dropped ALL the charges. Now what do we have? this guy is trying to get a change of venue. I’ll tell you what, if Burum is so outstanding and so clean then let’s take it to trial and end it once and for all. You know, just like Rex.
But Repairman…
Did you not learn anything through your exchange with Mr. Bob Ybarra after you resurrected his past?
Yes, Rex definitely got what he deserved… some just don’t WANT to get it…he’s history-irrelevant now.
Now “the guy that got the most out of the whole thing” will hopefully be the “the guy that will GIVE back the most” after this whole thing has come to pass.
#38
I wasn’t talking about rex.
Repairman
Sorry, got you mixed up with Red, both your names start with “R” and us who are not “e-verified” (for obvious reasons) get our “RRRRRR’s” mixed up- we tend to let it slip on occasion, and roll them- old habit.
#40
With your obvious challenges with cognition it’s understandable.
Repairman-
Si, and the English language is also a challenge for us “UNe-verified” ones.
“No mas tequila. Already MUY loaded”
“¡Andale! ¡Andale! ¡Arriba! ¡Arriba! ¡Yii-hah!
Anonymous #37:
Your comment that “if there was no validity they would have dropped ALL the charges” suggests that you still do not understand what happened.
The charges were dismissed because they were legally defective. No evidence was presented.
All that has been established on the remaining two charges is that they WERE NOT legally defective. The prosecution still has the burden to prove them. You are welcome to interpret that as some sort of victory, but I doubt if Mike Ramos shares your excitement.
I was not aware that the defendants have requested a change of venue, but in my opinion that is a prudent request, given that the slanted coverage by the local media makes it difficult to assemble an objective jury. The counties lawsuit against the City of Upland and SANBAG is being heard in San Diego County for this very reason.