Eastern District of California Blog

EDCA Court Finds Sacramento County Attorneys Improperly Excluded African-American Jurors In Civil Rights Trial

A federal judge has ruled that Sacramento County attorneys improperly excluded two African American jurors “because of the color of their skin” in an upcoming trial in which the plaintiff was black.

U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez made the finding of racial discrimination May 2 in a case where a former inmate is suing Sacramento County, Sheriff Scott Jones and three other sheriff’s employees over psychiatric care and use of force in the downtown jail.

In making his ruling, Mendez dismissed the jury that already had been selected earlier in the week and ordered that a new one be impaneled. The process will begin again May 8.

Sac Bee, 5/3/17

Criminal Trial Over Alleged Fraud In Immigration Program Continues

The Sacramento Bee reports on the multi-week, ongoing fraud trial before Judge England alleging that defendant Helaman Hansen committed fraud through his "Americans Helping America" Adult Adoption program.  Here are the competing positions:

In the eyes of federal officials, Hansen is a ruthless con artist who misrepresented the U.S. immigration system “to deceive and hurt those who are trying only to make a better life for themselves and their families,” said Ryan L. Spradlin, a special agent in charge of the Homeland Security Investigations office in San Francisco. If convicted, Hansen could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison and fined as much as $250,000.

Hansen has pleaded not guilty and is out on $250,000 bail. One of his attorneys, Federal Defender Timothy Zindel, told the jury that his client suffers from bipolar “grandiosity” and thought he was “acting in good faith, not for financial gain and didn’t encourage anyone to stay in the U.S. illegally.”