California AG Bonta announces the formation of a post-conviction review unit

By RIA ROEBUCK JOSEPH THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) - California

Attorney General Rob Bonta announced today in Oakland the formation of a Post-Conviction Justice Unit in a new effort to support the integrity of the criminal justice system statewide.

He was joined by Pricilla Ocean, Special Assistant Attorney General Michael Redding; Special Assistant Attorney General Lance Winters; Chief Assistant Attorney General from the Criminal Law Division and staff from all across the Department of Justice (DOJ) who were dedicated to developing the unit and who helped spearhead the announcement.

Mr. Bonta began preparing the unit as soon as he was appointed as attorney general and is the “first ever” in the 175-year history of the DOJ.

Over the course of this last year, a team dedicated solely to the integrity of criminal convictions statewide and working to correct potential miscarriages of justice began to study and analyze conviction integrity work being done across the country and within California. The best practices, approaches and models were reviewed and the team then provided the attorney general with recommendations for the best way for the new unit to have an impact.

The new Post-Conviction Unit seeks to strengthen trust in the criminal justice system and ultimately support public safety.

The new unit is starting off staffed by two attorneys working with the DOJ. Once fully staffed it will be empowered to conduct investigations and reviews aimed at resolving wrongful or improper criminal convictions, including cases where there may be evidence of significant integrity issues. It will also identify cases that may be suitable for resentencing if the sentence has been determined to be excessive based on the facts or new developments.

The attorney general emphasized two things:

• California prosecutors’ duty to integrity of conviction. They must have a deeper understanding of issues that affect conviction, from DNA to racism, and the importance that every prosecutor’s office to consider how issues of DNA affect their convictions both present and past.

• A commitment to ensuring that California DOJ is leading the way,

“That we are walking the walk. We are already doing this work taking a hard look at cases we’re handling on appeal and considering Racial Justice

Act claims with an eye toward systemic racism,” Mr. Bonta said.

Bonta, stated in launching this new unit, a commitment “To seek justice, not to blindly seek convictions.”

“We will be looking at cases where there is credible evidence of innocence or integrity issues … Nobody should serve time for a crime they didn’t commit,” the AG stated.

The National Registry of Exonerations have shown more than 3,000 exonerations of wrongful convicted since 1989. Additionally, Bonta noted that tens of thousands of individuals have been wrongfully convicted with the majority of convicted persons coming from “communities that are racially and economically disadvantaged and marginalized that do not have the resources to mount a reasonable defense.”

Past mistakes can be discovered with new evidence or scientific advances, and with the unit able to conduct reviews, it is hoped that public trust in the system can be built.

The Post-Conviction Unit will provide independent reviews where there are claims of innocence or of wrongful conviction or integrity issues, provide oversight and consideration of any potential errors or miscarriages of justice, and offer support to other integrity units already in place in some cities..

The Post-Conviction Unit is part of “a growing effort nationwide to find new pathways to seek justice, reduce harm, eliminate racial bias and increase trust in the criminal legal system. Through the postconviction investigations and reviews of individual criminal cases, we will be working to do that here at the California DOJ,” united in pursuit of truth and justice.

Fight was allegedly between SB and Ventura gangs

SHOOTING

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Barbara area residents with ties to a local Santa Barbara street gang,” police said. “The opposing group in the altercation has been identified as Ventura County residents with ties to Ventura County street gangs.”

Anyone with information regarding this homicide investigation is asked to call the Santa Barbara Police Department Detective Bureau at 805-897-2347.

“The Santa Barbara Police Department remains committed to ensuring every suspect that the evidence shows participated in the heinous murder of Mr. Gutierrez is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Lt. Corbett said.

The four adult defendants charged in the murder case appeared in Superior Court on Friday to enter pleas, but their arraignments were continued to Feb. 27, Senior Deputy District Attorney Tate McCallister said.

Jiram Jhunue Tenorio Ramon, 22, is charged with murder with the special circumstance of committing the murder to benefit a criminal street gang and the special allegation of personal use of a firearm causing death. He is also charged with conspiracy to commit murder and criminal street gang conspiracy.

Ricardo Tomas Jauregui-Moreno Jr., 20, and Christopher Dave Miranda, 21, are each charged with murder, with special allegations of committing the murder for the benefit of a criminal street gang (Westside-Santa Barbara) and principal use of a handgun, conspiracy to commit murder and criminal street gang conspiracy.

Mr. Jauregui-Moreno is also charged with having been previously convicted of a violent felony or “strike” offense.

James Lee Rosborough, 21, is charged with conspiracy to commit murder, criminal street gang conspiracy and being an accessory after the fact, with the special allegation of committing the crime for the benefit of a criminal street gang.

Prosecutors allege the four adult defendants from

Santa Barbara, driving on Stearns Wharf, verbally challenged their Ventura County rivals, and that they stopped their vehicle for the purpose of deploying two of their party to attack them with a firearm.

Prosecutors said the four Santa Barbara defendants fled the scene of the shooting afterward, two on foot and two by vehicle, and that those in the vehicle then circled back to the location of the shooting to extract those who fled on foot to avoid apprehension.

Santa Barbara police officers and Santa Barbara Harbor Patrol responded around 8:40 p.m. Dec. 9 to the area of Stearns Wharf and Cabrillo Boulevard for a report of a shooting that had just occurred.

Upon arrival, officers located a man suffering from a single gunshot wound. The man, later identified as Mr. Gutierrez, was provided medical attention on scene and transported by ambulance to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital for treatment. He died on Dec. 20.

“Mr. Gutierrez’s death was a direct result of the gunshot wound he sustained on Dec. 9, deeming this case a homicide investigation,” police said at the time.

Santa Barbara Police detectives continually investigated the homicide, and “their extensive and diligent investigation led to the identification of multiple suspects connected to a local criminal street gang,” police said.

The Santa Barbara Police Department, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office and Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office executed searchand-arrest warrants at several locations throughout the city and county, and the four adult defendants were arrested.

A 16-year-old male was also arrested on suspicion of being a juvenile in possession of a firearm.

“I am proud of the work done by our police department and their collaboration with other agencies to bring this tragic episode to a final resolution,” Mayor Rowse said in his statement. “The information collected in the process should also help serve to protect and defend this community from a recurrence of these events going forward.” email: nhartsteinnewspress@gmail.com

The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors is looking to fill vacancies on citizen advisory boards and commissions in the county’s third district.

With the implementation of redistricting in January 2022, the third district now includes the Santa Ynez Valley, and the city of Lompoc along with the Gaviota Coast and the western twothirds of the city of Goleta. The district encompasses a large swath of the Los Padres National Forest, and the entire Santa Ynez River Watershed, one of the most spectacular coastal stretches in California.

“Volunteer service on a Commission or board is a great opportunity to learn about County government while also providing public service by advising the Board of Supervisors on important policy issues affecting our communities,” Supervisor Joan Hartmann said in a press release.

Applicants that live within the third district are preferred, and applicants may need to meet specific eligibility requirements to serve.

The following is a brief description of boards and commissions with current vacancies:

- Air Pollution Control District Community Advisory Council: The purpose of the APCD Community Advisory Council is to provide advice to the Air Pollution Control Officer and the Air Pollution Control Board of Directors in matters related to attainment and maintenance planning, development and promulgation of air pollution control rules and other related policy issues.

- Behavioral Wellness: The Behavioral Wellness Commission is an advisory board to the Santa Barbara County Department of Behavioral Wellness and the Santa Barbara

County Board of Supervisors regarding the County’s provision of mental health and alcohol and other drug programs and services – three positions are currently available for the Third District.

- Board of Architecture Review Central County: The CBAR reviews and provides feedback to applicants ensuring good quality architecture, development, and building design are compatible with community standards in the unincorporated areas of the County between Lompoc and Goleta.

- Fish & Wildlife Commission: The purpose of the Fish & Wildlife Commission is to advise the Board of Supervisors on fish and game matters and make recommendations on all applications or proposals of individuals or organizations for expenditures of fish and game fine revenues, apprise the Board on the current condition of fish and game within the County, recommend projects for the conservation and propagation of fish and game resources within the County, and inspect and report on the progress of fish and game projects undertaken by the County.

- Historic Landmarks Advisory Commission (HLAC): HLAC considers proposals to designate any place, site, building, structure, or object as a place of historic merit or landmark in a county unincorporated territory.

To apply online or learn more about boards and commissions, go to https://www.countyofsb. org/1240/Join-a-Board-Commission-orCommittee.

Application forms are also available at the Office of the Clerk of the Board at 105 E. Anapamu St., Room 407 in Santa Barbara. For questions or assistance with submitting an application, please contact Gina Fischer at 805-568-2192 or gfischer@countyofsb.org. email: kzehnder@newspress.com