Judge Dismisses Charges Against Former Bell Mayor, Councilman

February 28, 2012 11:25 AM

Reporting John Brooks

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LOS ANGELES (CBS) — A judge on Tuesday dismissed one of two felony cases against a pair of former top-ranking officials in the city of Bell.

KNX 1070′s John Brooks reports former Bell Mayor Oscar Hernandez and former Bell City Councilman Luis Artiga will still face charges over allegations that they and other officials misappropriated public funds.

The dismissal of charges linked to allegedly illegal loans made to Hernandez have left lawyers for the former Bell council members and top administrators feeling a bit more confident.

“I think it’s the beginning of the end for the people’s case,” said Hernandez attorney Stanley Freedman. “If there was anything illegal about the loan program or illegal about the salaries, they didn’t know, and it’s certainly not a crime.”

Superior Court Judge Kathleen Kennedy rejected a defense motion to dismiss in December when lawyers argued that a state Supreme Court decision involving a Northern California official charged with mishandling public funds could be grounds for dismissal.

Defense lawyers did lose their bid to have Kennedy throw out the excessive salary allegations against both Hernandez and Artiga along with the rest of the so-called “Bell 8″.

The next hearing is scheduled for the end of April.

Judge Dismisses Charges Against Former Bell Mayor, Councilman

Robert S.

Given another few months, and the other charges will probably be droped on all the Bell officials charged with “Taking advantage” of the city populace. It is really hard to “Drown Rats” with an “empty tub. Think it over!
Chuey

As time goes on, this whole case will evaporate. It sure was fun listening to John & Ken whine about it though…..

GROWAPAIR

Hey Chuey, been said before, over eighteen you can make your own decisions, but pu$$Y dumbf**ks like you still living off their mama’s t!t don’t understand that. Having your mama lock you up in your bedroom is no problem since the t!t is still there and the brain cell you’re burning does no good. Now all she needs to do is take away the internet. And, if any of you dumbf**ks could read the money is not for the family. Involuntary confinement is the responsibility of the State, dumbsh!ts.

KO

They will wind up keeping keeping their 100,000 at month salary for the city council seat for the rest of their lives and will file a billion dollar lawsuit against California and win because California is plain evil.