High Concept
Am I blogging...or am I pitching my existence?


Saturday, April 05, 2003

 

SFPD conspiracy charges tossed / Judge sharply critical of D.A.'s handling of case against brass
The five had been under indictment since Feb. 27 on charges that they conspired to block the investigation into a Nov. 20 street brawl in which three off-duty police officers, including the son of Assistant Chief Alex Fagan, are accused of beating up two men on Union Street after demanding they hand over a bag of steak fajitas. Fagan is now acting police chief and was in court for the ruling.

"Despite the numerous improper acts and events that transpired, there is simply no way to find an agreement that is essential to a conspiracy," Tsenin found, noting that any such charge requires evidence that the accused somehow conferred and agreed on a course of action.

"Since the district attorney's office will not do it, this court must," the judge said in dropping all charges.
Jeezis, this is incredibly depressing--"Fajitagate" seems almost certainly to be an unspoken conspiracy, the type of which police departments are masters of. At every turn, the judge reprimanded all of the parties involved while letting every one of them off the hook. I'm tempted to think part of the problem was Hallinan's typically inept handling of procedure, but that doesn't take the sting off this.

posted by Jeff Lester | 3:02 PM |
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