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Meredith Lintott
By PAUL PAYNE
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Accusations from Sonoma County District Attorney Stephan Passalacqua about his election rival, Jill Ravitch, have raised the ire of her boss, Mendocino County prosecutor Meredith Lintott, who is demanding Passalacqua “cease and desist” from involving her office in the race.
Lintott on Monday wrote a letter to her counterpart to the south, complaining about his repeated claims that Ravitch was involved in the dismissal of a case against a teacher accused of child molestation in exchange for a donation from his lawyer, Chris Andrian of Santa Rosa.
Stephan Passalacqua
In fact, Lintott wrote, the case was filed before Ravitch came to work in the office in 2008 and was handled by a different deputy district attorney. Lintott said she negotiated the settlement with Andrian herself.
The unusual public critique that pits two sitting district attorneys against each other is the latest salvo in a dispute that has emerged as a key issue in the campaign for district attorney.
Lintott called Passalacqua’s charge “pure fiction.”
“It is particularly disturbing that you now claim her lack of involvement was because I ‘didn’t consult her or trust her opinion as head of the criminal division,’ ” Lintott wrote, citing a quotation from Passalacqua in a Press
Jill Ravitch
Democrat story. “Your conclusion is false and offensive.”
Passalacqua would not explain why he has said Ravitch made a deal in relation to the case nor would he provide proof she was behind a deal. But he said he stood by his comment.
He suggested she should have known about the agreement as a member of management when the case was resolved and that the public has a right to know her role since she has made her leadership experience a cornerstone of her campaign.
“You can’t pick and choose what cases you’re responsible for when you’re the district attorney,” Passalacqua said. “I rely on my leadership team for spirited debate and to give me their opinions, especially on cases of this magnitude.”
He would not speculate why the letter was written but said he “had a great deal of respect for the office of the district attorney in Mendocino County.”
“I certainly understand she’s going to defend one of her employees.”
Lintott did not return calls Wednesday for comment.
Lewis Warren, the president of the Sonoma County Bar Association, said it was unusual for a district attorney to complain about the way another county’s prosecutor is conducting an election campaign.
But Warren said the situation itself is rare. It’s not often that a candidate working in one county as a prosecutor is running for the top spot in another county, he said.
“Ms. Lintott is certainly at liberty to express her opinion,” Warren said. “It’s apparent she takes issue with what Stephan Passalacqua said. She’s coming to the support of one of her deputies.”
The letter comes with about five weeks remaining before the June 8 election.
Passalacqua, elected in 2002 after 13 years as a deputy district attorney, is seeking a third term. Ravitch, third-in-command in Mendocino County, was a Sonoma County prosecutor for 15 years before leaving in 2004. She ran against Passalacqua in 2006 and lost by a 1,700-vote margin.
Ravitch said Lintott offered to write the letter after Passalacqua accused her of making “sweetheart deals” with defense attorneys.
Ravitch said the molestation case was being handled by her boss and there was no reason for her to get involved. She accused Passalacqua of running a campaign based on personal attacks.
Lintott also took issue with “false statements” Passalacqua made about another case that was filed before Lintott took office and Ravitch was hired. It involved 14-year-old Marcus Escarena, who was charged as an adult in a North Coast murder case. Passalacqua said the charging was inappropriate because of the defendant’s age.
“I respectfully request that you cease and desist from bringing the Mendocino County District Attorney’s office into your election,” Lintott wrote. “You have relied on inaccurate and misleading information. I will not tolerate false statements against my office and the hard work of our deputies.”
Passalacqua Wednesday received support from Larry Scoufos, retired assistant district attorney, who worked with both candidates in the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office and was Passalacqua’s second in command.
“If Jill Ravitch is one of three supervising attorneys to oversee an office of only 15 deputies, one would expect that she would be aware of any high profile case, even if her name is not on the docket and her fingerprints are not on the case file,” he said in an e-mail.
“One has to ask, if the elected DA does not request advice from his/her management employees on such cases, what is the reason for hiring such support staff?”
The issue is reverberating through the community.
Attorney Andrian has denied Passalacqua’s allegations. He is a supporter of Ravitch and donated the maximum $2,500 to her campaign.
West Sonoma County Supervisor Efren Carrillo cited Passalacqua’s allegations as one of the reasons he switched his endorsement to Ravitch.
READ THE LETTER
Here is a copy of the letter sent Monday by Mendocino County District Attorney Meredith Lintott to Sonoma County District Attorney Stephan Passalacqua:
May 3, 2010
The Honorable Stephan R. Passalacqua
Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office
600 Administration Drive, Room 212-J
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
Dear Stephan:
This letter is in reference to your recent allegations against Chief Deputy District Attorney Jill
Ravitch. You have claimed that Ms. Ravitch was responsible for a dismissal in the case of People v. Holbrook and, in exchange, received a large donation from defense attorney Chris Andrian. Your charge is pure fiction.
As I told Press Democrat reporter Paul Payne, Ms. Ravitch did not work on the Holbrook case. The case was filed prior to her coming to our office and was handled by a different deputy district attorney. I ultimately negotiated directly with Mr. Andrian. It is particularly disturbing that you now claim her lack of involvement was because I “didn’t consult her or didn’t trust her opinion as head of the criminal division.” Your conclusion is false and offensive.
I understand other false statements have been made regarding Ms. Ravitch handling the Marcus Escareno case. She did not assume that case upon coming to our office. The Escareno case was filed prior to my election, and she was never assigned to the case.
I made a conscious decision to not endorse in your race, due to my belief that I should remain
neutral as a neighboring county.
I respectfully request that you cease and desist in bringing the Mendocino County District
Attorney’s Office into your election. You have relied upon inaccurate and misleading information. I will not tolerate false statements against my office and the hard work of our deputies.
Yours truly,
MEREDITH J. LINTOTT
District Attorney
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Replacing Passalqua with Ravitch will not result in a better DA office. I do not defend or support him at all. But Ravitch will not be better and mark my words. Her performance in court as a defense attorney in Sonoma is legendary to be polite. Lintott unofficially endorsed Ravitch by hiring an out of county attorney to co-lead her office for two reasons that most voters can figure out for themselves. In fact, a majoroty of Lintott’s prosecutors live IN SONOMA! Ths race is all about “girl power”, nothing more. And that should offend women.
I hear RSSteele loud and clear. In a similar situation.
And the question about how much the case cost was not answered. And I have said it time and time again the truth will set you free. I am tired of the politics also but I will not quit until I see Sonoma County get a better DA.
Bob no secrets it was all over the front page of the press democrat. Funny thing is you know the truth. One thing you didn’t realize is I am a fighter. The truth was far from what the people of Sonoma County were ever informed of. The lies you told come to light? I pray every day for you. I sleep well now I don’t have to call the police everyday about gang problems. But I always find myself watching everyone around me. Also laughing because I know when you realized who I was when you and Diana looked at me funny.. Took you a minute didn’t it! It’s okay though, you didn’t have to put your name for me to read between the lines. Thank you for instilling this passion in me to stop your false prosecutions.
We forgive you. Stop talking about the people that actually make a difference in this life because that just makes you ugly. The one you refer to, yes. I would have never believed in justice had it not been for that woman you speak of. And you want to talk about who I am related to; Let talk about my biological father and had it not been for the people involved in that case I would have never believed in justice. As a matter of fact I remember a Judge got a hug and a Sylvester from a 7 year old little girl I think he shares a last name. Another memory I will have.
Yes I have a big family. And as you know some of them were ready to hear what you had to say at Dry Creek but Harvey didn’t feel it would be appropriate. Guess he didn’t realize either. Funny thing about it was I had the family believing that you would do the things you promised. That’s why I called the police so much. I was on a first name basis with quite a few and had their personal cell numbers. Granted I have not been an Angel but I have a true heart and believe in God.
As I figured you had to hide behind a fake name but that’s okay. It’s exactly what I thought it would be talking with you. And I Thank you for this conversation. Your words are quick and round and round. Just like your last two campaigns. This time I will not be a fool and believe that with you in office the people will receive justice. And believe me I will never under estimate you. Like I said before “it’s funny how you can read between the lines and see the person behind the comment”. I am the only one that had the courage to use my real name so what does that say about you?
Tired of Politics and Frustrated… If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you two were one and the same and judging from the tone of the rhetoric, sound very much like big Steph himself.
the truth finally comes out about stacey and her gang member family! wow! thanks for sharing and letting us in on your secret. these are the kinds of people ravitch surrounds herself with? gang members who kill people?
Ravitch also has on her campaign payroll a former DA employee whose firing was upheld by the civil service commission for releasing confidential information (that was false) to defense attorneys. Check it out for yourself it is a public record.
Stacey who else are you related to, by blood or marriage, who is accused of being a gang member? you guys usually keep it in the family don’t you.
Chris, but she was there when the deal was made to dismiss and apparently was not consulted and did not weigh in. So how is that managing the criminal division or being askled to come to the table as a part of management when big decisions are made?
she is the one touting her 2 years of experience in management in mendocino, yet we find out she was kept out of the loop on serious high profile cases and just confined to a courtroom. Does not sound like management experience to me.
The sad backstory on the “molestation” case was that this successful and respected teacher was targeted by a mother who sent her two daughters to school with not enough clothes on. When the teacher sent her daughters to the office for dress code violations, the mother went on the “bad man” warpath and branded the teacher a pervert. Lintott, who was new to the office, swallowed the accusation hook, like, and sinker and put the teacher on the front page of the Ukiah Daily Journal without ever filing charges. Tail between her legs after she received hundreds of support letters for the accused, and no further accusations surfaced, Lintott extorted a resignation from the teacher as a condition of having the charges dropped. In her zeal to make a name for herself as tough on sex crimes, Lintott destroyed a good man and a good teacher, and nearly bankrupted a family. The fact that the stink of the original charge, interfering with a minor as a misdemeanor, is being promoted by Passalaqua as “molestation” demonstrates the danger of making such accusations without the whole story, and illustrates Passalaqua’s negligence in judgment, repeating exaggerations and falsehoods as fact.
I mean Heather Blue! I just have the Go Jill spirit! She is the right woman for the job and can handle all that it involves!
Jill Blue, do everyone a favor and get real! Stop trying to defend an unethical DA. Please, you just make me mad. I have dealt personally with his office and know right from wrong, and you are just WRONG! Jill has what it takes and you make women look bad. My name is real is yours? I keep stating you need to look at NEVAREZ case, have you? Or, are you fully aware and getting paid and working side by side with him? I don’t see your position being ethical at all! Please get the facts and then comment! All you are doing is making yourself look silly!
Hello? Nevarez? What do you have to say? How much did it cost tax payers? DO YOU CARE WHAT IT COST OUR FAMILY?. The DA did not care about the truth he wanted to boast about getting the GANG problem dealt with, by releasing false statements about involvement in gangs by my Brother and my Husband! Then arrested their step father for nothing and saying B.S. Then another cousin who also was not guilty just present that night. THE DA said over and over and over again that it was a gang fight. IT WAS A FAMILY against a GANG. The gang expert even said the Nevarez Brothers were not gang members. I am STINKING MAD! I think there should have been a public apology. But don’t worry I haven’t held my breath. This is something that will never go away. And I promise I will continue to say what the truth is forever! Do you realize you put a target on all of our backs. You would want to pray nothing ever happens to anyone I care about because of what you STEPHEN did. I am not ever going away. This has left permanent scars. I had respect for your commitments you made to Sonoma County when you were elected I even hung the press article on my wall where you were elected. It was still there when they raided my house! YOU SIR, ARE A BIG FAT PHONY!
Ms. Blue. Do you not recall the 88% successful prosecution rate for serious crimes has already been admitted by SP to reflect only a small sample size of one year? His office has the second worse success rate in the state!
Well Mr. Passalacqua, I have a question for you. Being you don’t work for the Mendocino County DA’s Office, please explain the facts of this “famous case” that was “dismissed.” Isn’t the job of a District Attorney to review all of the facts and decide if a case can be prosecuted. Isn’t this based upon facts, police reports, witnesses, and credibility issues? After all, Mr. Passalacqua, without reading all of the police reports and knowing the facts, who are you to say, nearly 1.5 hours south, whether there was enough evidence to charge someone? Just because a case is dismissed, doesn’t mean that the person was guilty of anything. And perahps, the evidence was flimsy. By your own analogy, the John Mark Karr Case, which your office blundered to the embarressment of the nation on CNN, dismissed a case against John Mark Karr when he was charged with possessing child porn. Are we to assume that you gave him a “sweetheart deal” as well? You see, you are making assumptions like the public,who often doesn’t know all of the facts, but here you are an attorney who knows better. So this shows your level of distrust. As for Mr. Jacobs or Larry Scoufus, please remember that both of these “supervisors” campaigned against you when you took the job away from Mike Mullins. Both publically stated you were not qualified for the job. Nothing has changed… other than two retired deputy DA’s who want to keep their job working “part time-extra help” which obviously would end if Ms. Ravitch took office. If I was ever convinced it was time for a change, it is now. I support RAVITCH without any hesitation.
This comment is to the DA! How much did the Nevarez Brothers case cost Sonoma County tax payers. I already know what it cost our family. Scars that will never heal.
THANKING GOD THE TRUTH IS COMMING TO THE LIGHT!
88% HOW MANY CASES IS THIS BASED ON? REMEMBER the Nevarez Brothers! Yea another fine example of the office we call our DA! Get real, for two years that office refused to see the reality of the problem. I called for 2 1/2 years prior to a murder, about the problems in Mooreland neighborhood, and got no mercy. I was alone in the fight. I thought I had the backup I needed if I just spoke the truth. Well instead my family faced a murder charge and was all called gang members, this was blasted on the front page of the press many times. The victim was a gang banger that his crew was very proud of! Go to the press democrat search NEVAREZ go to page 2 and page 3 get a little education on what has gone on in the DA’s office. As for assistant DA Gomez I thought she would have done the right thing as well. I gave her more credit than she deserved. I pray for these people every day and have made a lot of steps to ensure the people of Sonoma County never pay for another false trial or tear another family apart based on LIES! They knew the truth and didn’t do the right thing! The victim got no justice and Sonoma County paid for it. When the Acquittal happened it was in a small piece written on page 3 of empire. What a slap in the face that was. But God, good attorneys, and the truth set us free. So now I am waiting on your response to the facts of how many cases you are talking about.
“Tired of politics” – The point made by the Mendocino DA is that Ravich didn’t work there when the case came in and was not involved in it. I think the bigger point is that Passalaqua has been lying in his campaign and should probably stop lying if he wants to have any credibility left at the end of the campaign so he can find a new job.
so here we have another person (Larry Scoufos- who was very well thought of inthe community) who worked with Ravitch as her supervisor, stating that Ravitch lacks experience and should have known what was going on.
If she was “third in command” as the PD keeps saying, why did she not know what was going on? This is troubling by someone who has said she is “now experienced to manage” because of being third in command in Mendocino. It sounds like her “experience” was not in management at all but in trying cases.
We need a leader, not someone who is not invited to the table to weigh in on hot button issues in the DA’s office. With only 15 attorneys in that office in a county of 90,000 and she did not know what went on at the management level or why, how can she say she is ready to lead an office 5 times the size in a county of 500,000.
That prospect scares me. It should you too.
Does anyone know if Mr. Greg Jacobs, Retired Assistant District Attorney is still on the payroll as an Extra Help employee? He was for several years post retirement. Double dipping, yep! At top wages no less.
More of SRP’s waste of taxpayer dollars!
I read the hit piece above written by “heather blue” who appears to leave out important facts. The writer of the article is Greg Jacobs- ironically who said during the Mullins/Passalacqua election that Passalacqua was “highly unqualified for the job” and was merely an “actor” who failed acting school. Consider the sourse folks. Mr. Jacobs was not well respected by law enforcement as he was often incorrect in the law and disrespectful to staff and officers alike. So the fact that he now supports SP for his job has absolutely no weight in this election. Perhaps Stephan and Greg can open a law practice after the election, as the two birds seem to be of the same feather. Ms. Blue may want to apply as well.
Another case of the rag that they call the Press Democrat. I wonder why Jill did not stay in private practice since she is SO talented? Probably could not retain to many clients with her harsh demeanor
Why did this letter not make it into the press democrat letters tot he editor section like letters that are pro Jill? oh yeah its pro- passalacqua
Editor, Index-Tribune: http://www.sonomanews.com/articles/2010/05/03/opinion/doc4bdf811044d43613350370.txt
\Stephan Passalacqua should be re-elected as District Attorney of Sonoma County. I was in the district attorney’s office for 35 years until 2008. I served as Gene Tunney’s first chief deputy, and as assistant D.A. to both Mike Mullins and Stephan Passalacqua.
When Passalacqua was elected in 2002, he set out to professionalize the office and put together a great team. Last year, his office won 88 percent of all felony trials, including 100 percent of their murder cases. As promised, Stephan hired bilingual employees, brought diversity to the office, and promoted women to management.
He enhanced victim’s rights and in partnership with community leaders raised over a $1.5 million to open a Family Justice Center for victims of family violence.
I supervised his opponent, Jill Ravitch, who angrily resigned from the D.A.’s office in 2004. She did not like Passalacqua’s efforts to improve the office. This was not the first time she did not like her bosses. She previously threatened to resign under D.A.’s Tunney and Mullins when she did not get her way with them. She is simply not a team player. The negative tone of her current campaign, including its unfounded accusations about the D.A.’s office, is typical of her behavior when I supervised her. Unlike Ravitch, Stephan Passalacqua has worked for the Sonoma County D.A.’s office for his entire career and deserves to be re-elected. Greg Jacobs, Sebastopol.\
Greg, by the way, prosecuted Richard Allen Davis, the murderer of Polly Klass. Her father Mark also supports Stephan P.
Greg and many others who worked with Jill know Ravitch cannot get the job done and will self destruct in weeks and turn a professional, office with motivated employees into an office like Mendocino that is full of in-fighting and insubordination. Have you seen the politics going on up there in their ongoing DA race?
This only serves to prove they ALL are liars.
Where are all the Stephen supporters? You all had so much to say before this letter! I am waiting. Don’t worry I will give you a minute!
This letter is a huge Eye opener. We needed somebody in power like Meredith Lintott, to stop these fruitless allegations towards Jill! You are one unethical person Stephen. Let the truth be told.
Passalauqua isn’t beyond the Politics of Personal Destruction with anybody and will waste tens of thousands of dollars of taxpayer money doing it. This has been shown in his office persuing charges against individuals without evidence…..have you ever heard of DUI charges being persued against a person who was never tested or even witnessed behind the wheel of a car?… for the sole purpose of financially destroying the person via legal bills?. He’s doing it to me right now.
Another strong, intelligent woman, in a key position making change, and ethical! YOU GO GIRL! THANK YOU! GOD, this just makes me all warm and gooey inside. GO JILL! And I do believe That’s the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you GOD!
Passalacqua is a very disturbing, little man. Make sure we defeat him in June!!! He should have seen what happened to Mike Mullins in ’02 and just not have run for reelection. Good for Lintott for requesting him to stop.
It is appalling and embarrassing that our Chief Law Enforcement Officer, District Attorney Stephan Passalacqua, has reduced himself to an unethical campaign and lying to the public in a struggling desperate move to retain his job. Our District Attorney is to be honest, ethical and lead justice in our county. How can the voters of this county trust a man that make accusations based upon rumor and hearsay. After all, the peril of law is to base accusations on facts, isn’t it? The facts are indisputable. Mr. Passalacqua is lying to the public. We can’t trust Mr. Passalacqua to lead our prosecutors and it is time for a change. We must demand justice and integrity in our community and this year is time to make that change. Our legal community and law enforcement community has spoken – they no longer support Stephan Passalacqua as well. Once again, shame on you Mr. Passalacqua.