Former San Bernardino County Assessor and former county supervisor Bill Postmus listens to his attorney Jeffrey Lawrence (not pictured) during a sentencing and motion hearing at the San Bernardino Justice Center in San Bernardino on Friday, November 2, 2018. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
By Joe Nelson | jnelson@scng.com | San Bernardino Sun
Published: November 2, 2018 at 7:27 pm | Updated: November 4, 2018 at 9:07 am
The battle by former San Bernardino County assessor Bill Postmus to rescind his guilty plea in the Colonies corruption case began Friday with Postmus testifying he was a drug addict when he was coerced into accepting a deal with prosecutors.
Throughout a daylong hearing in San Bernardino Superior Court, Postmus testified about his 12-year addiction to methamphetamine, which hit its peak at the time he became ensnared in the criminal case. He said he was coerced by “heavy-handed district attorney investigators” and always thought he would receive probation, not prison time, if he cooperated with authorities.
Postmus’ former business partner, John Dino Defazio, and his former attorneys, Stephen Levine and Richard Farquhar, are scheduled to testify on his behalf Tuesday in Judge Michael A. Smith’s courtroom. If the judge decides against the motion to withdraw the guilty plea, Postmus will face sentencing in the case.
His current attorney, Jeffrey Lawrence, tried postponing Friday’s hearing so he could have more time to respond to the prosecution’s motion objecting to Postmus’ plea being vacated.
Supervising Deputy Attorney General Melissa Mandel called it a “political stunt and affront to the court.” She claimed it’s a tactic to stall Postmus’ sentencing until incoming District Attorney Jason Anderson takes office in January, out of belief that Anderson will go easier on Postmus.
Anderson criticized the case during his campaign for District Attorney and has called it a “political prosecution.”
Smith rejected the motion.
“Ultimately, the issue is to be decided by the court, not Mr. Anderson,” Smith said during Friday’s proceedings. “Clearly, any hopes that the newly elected district attorney might look more favorably upon Mr. Postmus’ case is not good cause for a continuance.”
Postmus was a key witness in the Colonies public corruption case that ended last year with three defendants being acquitted on all charges and a fourth defendant having all charges dismissed after his jury announced it was “hopelessly deadlocked.”
Initially a targeted defendant in the case, Postmus entered into a plea agreement with prosecutors and agreed to turn state’s evidence. On March 28, 2011, he pleaded guilty to 15 felonies.
In the Colonies case, prosecutors initially accused Postmus of conspiring with a Rancho Cucamonga land developer and three former top county officials to settle a lawsuit with the developer, Colonies Partners, for $102 million in exchange for $400,000 in bribes.
To read expanded article, click here.
He’s a pathetic liar
The fact that Melissa Mandel is still involved in this case underscores that she is a public sector attorney who lacks any accountability.
Imagine if she worked for a private sector firm and spent 8 months trying a losing case where a juror commented on the horrible job she did. At best she would be reassigned, and more likely given a pink slip.
But here she is, continuing to collect a paycheck from taxpayers, and criticizing the other side’s efforts as a “political stunt.” If she wants to see a real “political stunt,” she should look back at the Mike Ramos press conference where he produced the Paul Baine wanted poster.
And speaking of Mike Ramos, he has less than 75 days left as San Bernardino County District Attorney. The county will be a far better place when he is gone.
She works for the incompetent,corrupt political hack xavier laraza becerra. What do you expect? He is too lazy and too stupid to even know if any of his minions are competent. You wont find abigger dirtbag slimeball pol than becerra. Totally corrupt and dishonest. In other words, a Democrat .
Am I missing something ?? Bill Postmus was a closet case homosexual methamphetamine addict who was blackmailed for his vote on the Colonies case. Is that not correct ? Am I missing something ??
Rick Sayers:
Yes, you are definitely “missing something.”
In the trial of what was described in a grandstanding press conference as “the most appalling corruption case in decades, certainly in the history of San Bernardino County and maybe California itself,” the prosecution spent 8 months attempting to prove that Bill Postmus was “blackmailed for his vote on the Colonies case.”
They failed miserably.
@5 Are you saying then that Mr. Postmus wasn’t blackmailed? If so, that shoots down his reason for withdrawing his plea?
Anonymous #6:
Comment #4 relates to Bill Postmus being “blackmailed” by The Colonies into approving the settlement, which I don’t believe ever happened.
I don’t know if he was “blackmailed” into taking the plea deal, but based on what I do know about Mike Ramos it would not surprise me in the least.
Postmus is now busy contaminating the Hesperia City Council race.
He is using funding from the same groups as in early 2000 i.e. Frontier Homes, Burum, Previti and others.
His two candidates are Russ and Brosowske who represent nothing positive about the local Republican Party.
#8 can he do that from state prison?
He is not there yet.
#10 Just wait, he’s heading that way
Has Judge Smith ever withdrawn a plea bargain unless the prosecutor agrees?
12 years. He admitted he was an addict for TWELVE years and quit using what year since he has been clean? Bob Smith was wearing a uniform when he went to work at the Assesors office and already a senior officer on the force with close ties to Bill Sr. Where where HIS loyalties? Taxpayers paying his salary and pension.. OR? Or are you going to try to say that a 30 year career officer with DEA background and undercover experience couldn’t recognize a meth addict when he was directly working in the same office with one, hmmm?
Answer me this: Was Bob related to the Colonies… in Anyway?
Postmus colonies plea should be withdrawn and he should be sentenced on the Assessor corruption.
@14 No Mr. Postmus should do his time, after all he’s a die hard Republican, the party of law and order. Man up dude, you did so do your time whatever that may be.
“Did it”
Lock HIM up