Sheriff Carona indicted on public corruption charges
Sheriff Mike Carona, his wife and a woman identified as his “longtime mistress” have been indicted on charges of public corruption by a federal grand jury, The Orange County Register has learned.
Orange County’s top lawman has been charged with seven felony counts that he illegally accepted money, high-priced gifts and tickets to exclusive sporting events, and made loans to his girlfriend in exchange for favors, according to an indictment expected to be unsealed today.
Carona’s former top aide, George Jaramillo, in a separate agreement, pleaded guilty to federal tax evasion and corruption charges in March and assisted the FBI and IRS in building the case against Carona. Jaramillo, a former assistant sheriff fired by Carona in 2005, is in jail on county charges. . .
Experts: Cutting plea deals could cut both ways in Simpson case
LAS VEGAS – Cutting deals with co-defendants to testify against O.J. Simpson could undercut prosecutors if they ever need to convince a jury the aging football star is guilty of serious crimes, legal experts said Monday.
But that could only happen if the case makes it past a preliminary hearing next week before a judge whose main concern will be what the evidence is rather than where it came from.
“This is a basic prosecution tactic that is very effective,” Jody Armour, a criminal law professor at the University of Southern California, said after a third Simpson co-defendant told a judge Monday that he’ll plead guilty to lesser charges and testify for the prosecution. . .
Suit aims to stop illegal-immigrant law
One of the toughest state laws targeting illegal immigrants takes effect Thursday in Oklahoma, prompting efforts by immigrants trying to block it and work by state agencies to comply.
The law makes it a felony to transport or shelter illegal immigrants. Businesses, which are barred by federal law from hiring illegal immigrants, can be sued by a legal worker who is displaced by an illegal one.
The measure denies illegal immigrants certain public benefits such as rental assistance and fuel subsidies.
“It’s clearly one of the most restrictive policies” in the country, says Cecilia Muñoz of the National Council of La Raza, a Hispanic civil rights organization. . .
Craig to argue insufficient evidence in bid to overturn plea
WASHINGTON | Sen. Larry Craig on Friday filed an outline of how he’ll continue his fight in Minnesota to withdraw his guilty plea to a disorderly conduct charge.
Craig will argue that there’s not enough evidence that he committed a crime when he was arrested in a June sex sting at the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport, according to a two-page document filed Friday with the Minnesota Court of Appeals.
The Idaho Republican failed last month in his bid to withdraw his guilty plea, which stemmed from his arrest in the men’s room of the airport. . .
