City Attorney condemned for 'Jackboot' solution to medical marijuana laws

Los Angeles' favorite political clown, Carmen Trutanich, is taking Jackbooted goose-step in the wrong direction on medical marijuana, according to an op-ed piece published at the Los Angeles Dragnet.

The Dragnet's pseudonymous 'Joe Friday,' believed to be a former top adviser to Trutanich, all but calls the City Attorney a liar over his use of the term 'Gentle Ban,' pointing out that the proposal would take Los Angeles back to the state of law in 1996 when Prop 215 passed, and ignores the more permissive measures enacted in 2003 with the passage of SB420, the Medical Marijuana Program Act.

More on Carmen the Clown at the Los Angeles Dragnet.

(c) 2012

Los Angeles City Attorney Carmen 'Nuch' Trutanich has Annus Horribilis

The Los Angeles Dragnet blog clearly considers itself as the 'source' when it comes to Carmen Trutanich; the Los Angeles City Attorney with a record of making dubious statements, or outright lies if you believe what the Dragnet says. The Dragnet's homage to 2011 contained a list of Trutanich's top ten political blunders, an 'Annus Horribilis,' to use their phraseology.

Los Angeles City Attorney Carmen Trutanich
made a name for himself in 2011, according to the Los Angeles Dragnet

The list of Trutanich's top ten political blunders runs the gauntlet from alleged lies to allegations of campaign finance irregularities. It's quite a disturbing laundry list of misdeeds, however, it appears to be well researched and backed up with facts that are hard to dispute.

Los Angeles City Attorney Trutanich to face 'Extortion' claims

Court papers accuse Carmen Trutanich, aka 'Carmen the Clown,' LA's city attorney, of using 'extortion' to force litigants to pay up million dollar settlements in civil lawsuits prosecuted by him, rather than go to jail in criminal cases also prosecuted by him.

The Los Angeles Dragnet reported on the story that first appeared in the Met News - Century City law firm Salerno & Associates have accused Los Angeles City Attorney Carmen Truttanich of 'extortion.'

In a 17-page motion, Salerno & Associates attorney Stephen Morgan (no relation) describes how Trutanich used the threat of jail to 'extort' multi million dollar settlements in violation of the 'Rules of Professional Conduct' and standards set by the Supreme Court.

The Los Angeles Dragnet described Trutanich's well documented history of using threats of jail in other cases, notably when Trutanich accused AEG of 'criminal aspects' to their handling of the Michael Jackson memorial at Staples Center, and when Trutanich threatened to arrest Councilmember Jan Perry over her decision to allow AEG to have billboards at their Regency Cinema complex at LA Live.

Trutanich recently received the Innovations in Criminal Justice award in Chicago, that bastion of ethical standards, raising the question whether they knew and/or would have approved of the 'innovative' way Trutanich appears to settle cases.

A full evidentiary hearing has been requested by Morgan on behalf of his client. According the the Dragnet, Trutanich has not implemented any protocols, procedures or policies to avoid the obvious conflict of interest where one agency pursues civil and criminal cases simultaneously. A finding that Trutanich has breached ethical standards by not separating civil cases and criminal prosecutions could result in the City Attorney's office being disqualified from those cases.

Morgan's motion to disqualify Trutanich for 'extortion' is set for hearing at 8:30AM on Thursday, October 20, 2011 in Department 72 of the Los Angeles Superior Court at 1945 South Hill Street, Los Angeles, CA 90007. It is likely to be a crowded courtroom with many other groups complaining of Trutanich's 'innovative' tactics.

Full story at the Los Angeles Dragnet.