I was a young man in 1992, a freshman in college, when the verdict came in on the Rodney King case.  I was not completely surprised, and watching the news coverage of the criminal trial led my gut to ...

Task is Clear: Show that No Current Nuisance Exists from Alleged Gang - The case that began in July finally saw the plaintiffs rest and the defense open their case.  In theory, the plaintiffs have the ...

Back in August, a Yolo County Jury hung in the case of Eric Sass, charged with 12 counts of having made inappropriate sexual contact with a minor under the age of 14.  The incidents occurred in 2008 a ...

When Jesus Arias was convicted of possession of a stolen weapon, a violation of probation and a gang enhancement in mid-August, it seemed a fairly routine case.  A thin prosecution propped up by gang ...

At the previous hearing in the Marco Topete case, DA Jeff Reisig had requested the court appoint an interpreter for the parents of Tony Diaz.  Judge Richardson asked the DA's Office to submit a motion ...

Two weeks ago Judge Paul Richardson denied the motion of Marco Topete, acting as his pro per counsel, a motion to continue the jury trial for an additional six months, until March. The Judge's rationa ...

On October 14, 2010, the Yolo County District Attorney's Office announced that Claudean Medlock had pled no contest to one felony charge of grand theft from an employer. Medlock is the former Executiv ...

Good article this morning in the Daily Democrat, pointing out that most of the judges in Yolo County have now been appointed within the past four years.  Of the 10 judges, six have now been appointed ...

A behind-the-scenes deal was apparently reached between the Public Defender's Office and the Yolo County District Attorney's Office.  The deal, which can be largely viewed as a victory for the defense ...

Are the Gang Experts Conflating Rap and Hip Hop Culture with Being a Gang Member?  Questioning of Expert Witnesses in Gang Injunction Case Two weeks ago we had an article on the problematic nature of ...

Did Grants Drive Prosecution of Artz Case As Statutory Rape Case? The Vanguard has previously reported on the DA's Cash for Convictions Program, and now for the first time we may see an example of suc ...

The Gang Injunction Trial continued on Monday with a new expert witness, Jason Winger, taking over after last week's witness Joe Villanueva. Sgt. Winger now heads up the Community Response Team, a tea ...

A Monday release from the Governor's Office states, "Governor Schwarzenegger announced today the appointment of Daniel P. Maguire to a judgeship in the Yolo Superior Court.  This appointment fills the ...

Last week the Vanguard reported that the defense in the Michael Artz trial was moving to disqualify Judge Mock, based on his purported non-disclosure of his relationship to retired Chief Deputy DA Ann ...

Judge Richardson Denies Six Month Continuance, but Pushes Back Trial At Least Until January 2011 - Judge Paul Richardson denied the motion of Marco Topete, acting as his pro per counsel, a motion to c ...

A Yolo County jury found a Sacramento man guilty in the 2009 beating of a West Sacramento man.  On Wednesday, the jury reached a verdict, convicting Michael Romero of attempted murder along with gang ...

It has been more than a month since Davis resident Michael Artz was acquitted of the most serious charge he had faced, stemming from a couple incidents that occurred in high school in which he was all ...

When the District Attorney's Office was able to gain a preliminary gang injunction, it was based in large part upon declarations from West Sacramento Police Officers.  One of the key officers was the ...

Daily Democrat Reports in Column: "Reisig and the county are said to be discussing taking some kind of action against Greenwald." For those who missed it, Jake Dorsey's swan song last week at the Dail ...

While taking a break from watching the West Sacramento Gang Injunction case, I walked into the trial of Michael Romero, who is on trial accused of severely beating his victim in an incident that stemm ...