Some FR readers have been watching a coutroom in Ventura County where prosecutors from Attorney General Jerry Brown's office have been trying to convince a jury that Joel Angeles, Chief of Staff to Assemblywoman Audra Strickland, had committed crimal battery against some protesters at a local Republican political event. Imagine this — all of the witnesses of this “alleged” incident were the protesters!
Just minutes ago, the jury found Angeles innocent on all counts! Yeeah! Congratulations, Joel!
A hearty congratulations as well to Joel's attorney, Steve Baric. Baric, a former career prosecutor heads up the California Lawyers Association and Secretary of the California Republican Party.
September 25th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Great News indeed.
Joel Angeles is one of the most EFFECTIVE Republicans around.
Trial by a Jury of one’s Peers, a right assured in the Constitution,
once again provides the remedy to an injustice.
September 27th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Jon as usual you don’t have the facts of the story correct. All of the witnesses were NOT protestors (of the tobacco money Tony accepted); one was a photographer for the Star whose photos were not allowed per a previous court order due to a citing of the Shield Law.
He is being called OJ Angeles now.
September 28th, 2009 at 12:00 am
I have been in Joel’s situation and I applaud him for the restraint that he showed when he was surrounded by an angry intolerant mob. I am proud that the jury was able to stand up to political pressure to find him innocent.