RE: [Cal_Boats] Dinius Manslaughter Charge Dropped

I've noticed that folks here don't seem to mind political rants unless or until the message is critical of the individual reader's position. The Dinius embroglio is certainly relevant to and of interest to any one involved in boating. This particular thread wouldn't exist if no one was interested. Muzzleing someone just because you don't happen to agree with them strikes me as blatantly un-American. It's hard to overlook the fact that the message objecting to the "political" content is more offensive than the the object of it's scorn. Anyone can of course hit the delete key and move on. Soooo.... ...........Lighten up! Wyatt From: "Wayne Gillikin" <wa… [at] yahoo.com> To: "Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com" <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> Sent: 7/22/2009 8:48 AM Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] Dinius Manslaughter Charge Dropped All Cal Boaters: Jeez! I'm confused again. Is this the Cal Boats site? It is beginig to look more like a site for Psychotic Paranoid Rants. If I wanted to read this crap I would get on Rush's site. Am I alone in thinking that this foolishness needs to find another venue? Warmest Regards, Wayne From: Gerald Sobel <so… [at] yahoo.com> To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Sent: Wednesday, July 22, 2009 2:06:38 AM Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] Dinius Manslaughter Charge Dropped Allen, I agree California gov. doesn't work. But it used to work, California' schools used to be #1 in the nation, it's freeways, Jr. Colleges, Universities etc. used to be the envy of the nation. Not nomoe. I wunddah, wunddah, wunndah, why? It was a short time ago Califronia even had a budget surplus, under Grey Davis. What happened? We all know about Enron and their sleezy tricks. Grey Davis ended up trying to subsidize people's utility bills and used up all that 20 Billion dollar surplus, for that, he got impeached. (well that, and something else, maybe it was Hostages in Iran? too much salt in the salted peanuts?) What else? I think the whole Dept. of Boating and Waterways thingy just got wrecked like a smashed clay piggy bank, and I know the Goobernator was in favor of it. Now I'm not naming names, I'm just saying I've seen California go down the tubes like a train wreck in slow motion, after reaching it's height under Jerry's (they called him gov. moonbeam for advocating solar energy) Dad, was that Edmund Brown? And don't think I'm happy with Mayor Villa Gross yah. Anyone who takes campaign contributions form drug dealers and pardons them quid pro quo, ain't kosher in my book. Uh uh oh. I hope I didn't mention anything political. drat! Jerry --- On Tue, 7/21/09, Allen Edwards <allen.edwards@ PaloAltoPhoto. com> wrote: >From: Allen Edwards <allen.edwards@ PaloAltoPhoto. com> >Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] Dinius Manslaughter Charge Dropped >To: Cal_Boats@yahoogrou ps.com >Date: Tuesday, July 21, 2009, 8:35 PM > > > >California government doesn't work. > > >Allen > > > >On Tue, Jul 21, 2009 at 6:20 PM, Dave & Cathy Paulson <dpaulson@socal. rr.com> wrote: > > >>so after 15 trys and 15 busy I dont thik I can vote for gerry to be gov. but this is how Calif government works Dave Paulson >>----- Original Message ----- >>>From: Allen Edwards >>>To: Cal_Boats@yahoogrou ps.com >>>Sent: Tuesday, July 21, 2009 10:11 AM >>>Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] Dinius Manslaughter Charge Dropped >>> >>> >>>Why would you call the DA? He is the problem. Call Jerry Brown. Contact him from this web page: >>>http://ag.ca. gov/contact. php >>> >>> >>> >>> >>>Allen >>> >>> >>> >>>On Mon, Jul 20, 2009 at 5:07 PM, Bob Connell <jollygoodolywa@ yahoo.com> wrote: >>> >>> >>>>I called as well Bruce, thanks for posting it. I am spreading his number around. >>>> >>>>Bob Connell >>>> >>>> >>>>--- On Mon, 7/20/09, Bruce Stirling <bruce@stirlinglaw. com> wrote: >>>> >>>> >>>>>From: Bruce Stirling <bruce@stirlinglaw. com> >>>>> >>>>>Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] Dinius Manslaughter Charge Dropped >>>>> >>>>>To: Cal_Boats@yahoogrou ps.com >>>>>Date: Monday, July 20, 2009, 4:06 PM >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>>I just called the prosecutor's office and gave him our collective thoughts, basically telling him he was full of shit and that his decision not to go after the motorboat operator was disgusting, particularly when there were eye-witnesses and admissions from the operator himself. I accused him of not doing his duty and of playing politics. Here is his number. It is after hours, but the telephone recording machine is on: >>>>> >>>>>JON E. HOPKINS >>>>>DISTRICT ATTORNEY >>>>> >>>>>255 North Forbes St >>>>>Lakeport, CA 95453 >>>>>(707) 263-2251 >>>>> >>>>>Bruce Stirling >>>>> >>>>> >>>>>On Mon, Jul 20, 2009 at 3:55 PM, Lord Nougat <lord_nougat@ yahoo.com> wrote: >>>>> >>>>> >>>>>>Indeed! That is just what I was thinking, and you succinctly summed it up. This case is just so absurd, it disgusts me. >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> From: Whirled Peas <whirledpeas333@ yahoo.com> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>>To: Cal_Boats@yahoogrou ps.com >>>>>> >>>>>>Sent: Monday, July 20, 2009 2:59:26 PM >>>>>> >>>>>>Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] Dinius Manslaughter Charge Dropped >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>>Shame on the Lake County District Attorney and Sheriff's Office. This case is preposterous. Prosecute the sheriff who was speeding recklessly and didn't submit to a breathalyzer test himself. Drunk reckless cops in uniform. They should also bring conspiracy charges against the sheriff's department itself. >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> From: Allen Edwards <allen.edwards@ PaloAltoPhoto. com> >>>>>>To: Cal_Boats@yahoogrou ps.com >>>>>> >>>>>>Sent: Monday, July 20, 2009 2:04:30 PM >>>>>>Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] Dinius Manslaughter Charge Dropped >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>>Very little difference between the charge that remains and the one that was dropped. 3 years in prison for the one that remains vs 4 for the one dropped. There are many people who saw the running lights on according to what I have read. This should get on Dateline or 60 minutes. That would end it. >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>>Allen >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>>On Mon, Jul 20, 2009 at 1:00 PM, Marsh Wise <marsh@reenactor. net> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>>>Dinius Manslaughter Charge Dropped >>>>>>>From Latitude 38 >>>>>>>July 20, 2009 – Lake County >>>>>>>After months — years, really — of stubbornly refusing to drop the ridiculous manslaughter charges against Bismarck Dinius, Lake County District Attorney Jon E. Hopkins announced on Friday his plan to do just that. In an open letter posted on the county's website, Hopkins maintains that Lynn Thornton's 2006 death was caused by the supposed drunkeness of Bismarck Dinius, who happened to be sitting at the tiller of a sailboat drifting along in zephyrs on Clear Lake. For reasons not fully explained in the bizarre letter, Hopkins announced he would dismiss the manslaughter charge in court tomorrow, but will continue with the prosecution of the felony BUI "causing bodily injury or death with a prior conviction of DUI." That charge still lays the fault of Thornton's death soley at the feet of Dinius and could earn him three years in prison. >>>>>>>Hopkins also maintains that he can't prosecute Russell Perdock, the number two man in the Sheriff's office — now on "administrative leave" — who rammed his speedboat at an estimated 40-60 mph into the drifting sailboat, because "attempting to convict a motorboat operator of manslaughter, when we cannot prove the speed of his boat and he collides with a sailboat operated by drunken sailors at night without their running lights is not going to succeed." Can't prove the speed of his boat? Perdock himself has admitted to going 40 mph, and witnesses on shore put his speed higher. Beyond the admission of his speed, it seems to us that forensic scientists should have an easy time of estimating that piece of evidence. >>>>>>>What's particularly perplexing about the release of this letter, besides the fact that it was done in the middle of jury selection for the trial, is that in it Hopkins complains that the "media" has led people to believe false facts, and that only what is presented before a jury should be considered. Yet here he is, presenting his version of the facts of the case on the county's website — just a few months after requesting a gag order from the presiding judge (which was obviously denied). >>>>>>>We clearly have no idea why Hopkins was so unprofessional as to post such a letter at this time, or what his motivations were, but one has to wonder if someone higher up the food chain made a timely phone call. If so, they need to make one more call — to 'encourage' him to reduce the BUI charge to its standard misdemeanor status. >>>>>>>In the meantime, folks are rallying in support of Bismarck Dinius — from the steps of the Lake County Courthouse to Alameda YC. John Reimann of the Oakland-based Catalina 36 Y-Knot? reports that the proceeds from Alameda YC's monthly fundraising dinner last month went to Dinius' legal defense fund. "We raised a little more than $350," Reimann said. "I hope other yacht clubs will consider doing the same." And as far away as Wayzata, MN, Mark Keifer, founder of the World Ice Racing Circuit, is hosting a fundrasier on July 25 at 7 p.m.. If you're planning a fundraiser for Bismarck, please post the details on our Facebook page. >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>>-- >>>>>Robert Bruce Stirling, II, Esq. >>>>>602.254.6638 >>>>>602.460.5631 [Cell] >>>>>bruce@stirlinglaw. com >>>>>http://www.stirlinglaw.com/lawyers >>>>> >>>>> >>>>>This message is protected by attorney/client privilege. This message is intended only for the use of the person or entity to which it is addressed. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, or the employee, or the agent responsible for delivering this message to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, or copying of this message is strictly prohibited. If you received this communication in error, please notify us immediately by replying to the sender of this email or by telephone. If you believe it was sent to you in error, do not read it. Please reply to the sender that you received the message in error, then delete it. >>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>> >