San Diego Criminal Attorneys Blog

On Thursday, April 15th, a large crowd of supporters gathered in front of the Escondido City Hall building in support of the Driver License checkpoints that the Escondido police department has continuously conducted for the past six years.

More than a 150 people showed, lead by Patricia Bennett, in support of the traffic checkpoints. In contrast this support for the checkpoints and for Police Chief Jim Maher, who has been pressured to remove the traffic checkpoints or resign, the protest against the traffic checkpoints was three times smaller. What does this say about the cities feelings towards the checkpoints and the Police Chief as cars passing by drew honks and cheers? However, what's poplar doesn't always equate with justice!

These traffic checkpoints are a very controversial issue in Escondido and possible other neighboring cities who might start to adopt same or similar policy changes. Simply, are the traffic checkpoints conducted by the Escondido police department constitutional? I think not especially when every car is stopped and the driver interrogated by law enforcement about their drivers license. Supporter's claim the checkpoint have lowered the hit and run cases by a third. But the one question remains, are these checkpoints specifically targeting low income area's where Latinos are being targeted? If so, then theses checkpoints need to be reformed immediately or changed in the way they are conducted to meet all constitutional requirements.

To find this article and read the whole article visit this link:
ESCONDIDO: Rally supporting police, checkpoints draws more than 150, North County Times April 15th

San Diego County Sheriff Deputy in Encinitas pepper sprays and arrests a 60-year-old hostess of an event for U.S. Congressional candidate Francine Busby.The sheriff deputy claims that Shari Barman became combative with a deputy who was at the fundraising event to investigate a noise complaint. Wild and crazy 60 year old!!

Francine Busby said the gathering was not loud and described the deputy's use of pepper spray on Ms. Barman and guests as "shocking." Ms. Busby plans to challenge Republican U.S. Rep. Brian Bilbray for his 50th District congressional seat in 2010. Bilbray beat her out for the open seat in 2006. Politics involved?

Who was responsible for the confrontation's escalation? I'm sure the sheriff deputy will say that Ms. Barman was responsible for the escalation but hopefully a full investigation will reveal the truth! I find it hard to believe a crowd of mostly middle-aged persons at a political fundraising gathering are going to escalate a situation with a sheriff deputy investigating a noise complaint! This investigation won't go away!

San Diego & Oceanside California Highway patrol officer Abram Carabajal, now retired, was held to answer after a preliminary hearing in San Diego Superior Court, North County, Vista, [need to upload link legal resource page] before Judge Runston G. Maino. Mr. Carbajal has been charged with three felony counts of accepting a bribe, conspiracy to obstruct justice and perjury.

The three felony charges stem from an alleged fix my traffic ticket in exchange for sex back in 2006. An Encino woman, Shirin Zarrindej, allegedly conspired with former CHP officer Carabajal to have her traffic ticket dismissed in exchange for sex. Ms. Zarrindej has a prior conviction for bribing a Los Angeles police officer back in 1998 in a prostitution case at which time she served 60 days in jail.

On July 1, 2008, the two met a Oceanside hotel after Carabajal lied in court to get the speeding ticket dismissed. Ms. Zarrindej who is also being charged in the same case is claiming that she was a victim to Officer Carabajal's sexual advances and that there was insufficient evidence she conspired with or bribed him.

CHP officer accused in sex-for-ticket fixing had prior troubles, June 24, 2009, North County Times