Kudos to HCSO and thumbs down to this You tuber who thought she could get information about a Hoopa homicide case even local media has not received yet

 

Hazel Thompson made this request and received this response from HCSO.

Have to agree with HCSO. This case has not even had a preliminary hearing. Ms. Rebecca Linkous, attorney for William Warren has a motion to compel and is waiting on discovery.

Anyone can be a Youtuber. A real journalist would do some research. I know from covering local court cases that certain evidence and information cannot and is not released to media before the preliminary hearing. Humboldt law enforcement have their own policies.

Those of us here covering this locally would like the same footage and we would not be requesting it for clickbait for a monetized YouTube Channel. Rachel can use some of that money to pay Humboldt Superior Court for court records to educate her viewers if that is her objective.

Rachel, here is a free tip via Google AI for you and all the other Humboldt anon and non anon commenters who think they are experts on every subject and entitled to make demands from behind their screens for free. HCSO PIO Erin Inskip and HCSO are busy dealing with Humboldt priorities. Please do research before wasting their time.

In California, releasing extrajudicial information to the media before a preliminary hearing is strictly governed by the State Bar of California Rule 5-120 and Penal Code § 987.9/protective orders. Prosecutors and defense attorneys are prohibited from making statements that have a "substantial likelihood of materially prejudicing" the case.

In California, there is no absolute statewide ban stopping law enforcement from releasing information to the media before a preliminary hearing, but agencies are strictly governed by the California Public Records Act and internal department policies. They may legally release factual, non-prejudicial details but must withhold confidential or investigative information to protect the defendant’s right to a fair trial. 

I know Derek Barnett is in FBI custody, the public knows and we confirmed it but the DA had to continue the hearing for a second time instead of dismissing the Humboldt case?

 

Today, Derek Barnett's 2024 case was on for setting of preliminary hearing and status of transport. It was continued by the DA to 6/16. It was already continued from 5/21 by the DA because Barnett is facing federal charges.

I reported regularly on Derek Barnett's case. I reported in December 2025, the FBI taking over his case. 

In May 2026, Barnett was transferred to FBI custody and is in jail in San Francisco. 

This was reported by me. The public knew this and the DA's office does not know how to check Vinelink or call the FBI in San Francisco? If I can, the Humboldt County DA certainly can confirm.

Deputy District Attorney Whitney Timm is the prosecutor for this case. I get that she is out this week as are several other Deputy DAs. But any DA Investigator could confirm this and I know they are here this week. Especially, those who are former EPD.

In court, it would have been a simple issue of checking the last court minutes. I get that Deputy DA Frankie Olivares may not be comfortable dismissing the case but there was no one he could call? Were Deputy DA Carolyn Schaffer and DA Stacey Eads not available today?

Yet, another hearing from today continued for an uneccesary reason.

Travis Watson's case on calendar today was a waste of my time

 

My last update on murder suspect Travis Watson was that preliminary hearing in his 2026 and OR bail was scheduled for 6/25. That update and others on his case are in the May 5 post.

Last night, I see his 2025 case is on calendar this morning. It is just a review from his 2025 DV case. It was continued to 6/25. Why his open cases were not set on the same date before, I do not understand.

This is the kind of nonsense I waste my time on daily because Humboldt Superior Court cannot seem to do the most basic common sense efficient scheduling and time management. How hard is it to see if someone has more than one open case? I don't  have the access to e court that the judges, court staff, DA's office and attorneys have and I can see a list of open and closed cases.

Humboldt Superior Court Presiding Judge Kelly Neel is dealing with the disaster left from when Retired Judge Joyce Hinrichs and former judge Gregory Kreis who was ousted by the voters and who had to resign and can never seek judicial office as part of the deal with the CJP.

He still practices as an attorney in Humboldt Superior Court and his wife is in charge of family law facilitators and self help. Current Humboldt Superior Court CEO Meara Hattan, I was told by more than one person at the Courthouse, has her job thanks to him. Previous Humboldt Superior Court CEOs Kim Bartleson and Kerri Keenan had their issues but the courts ran efficiently. Some of the new hires are hard workers and others are incompetent and as one courthouse employee told me, "If Kim was here, we would not have these DEI hires."

California government policies are part of the problem but the Humboldt workforce pool has always been slim pickings where the few with work ethics suffer.

It isnt just one case; it is par for the course. When I am checking on 40 cases a day; that adds up. I also have to wait for court minutes for multiple days. Some clerks are better than others and the ones that are better have the heaviest daily workload. 

Kayleen, the criminal court clerk supervisor, is the only one I see in the courtrooms, helping out and frequently. What exactly are the other supervisors doing in civil, in family and all these new managers? I see them walking around. Put them in the courtrooms, have them scan minutes and documents and they should work at the clerk's window on I street, if neded. 

Why are these managers not staffing the second floor before court opens at 8:30 and 1:30. People end up asking me questions while I am trying to check cases early morning. Files not making it to the judges for hearings. Court documents not scanned for weeks. Don't have deadlines and rules if you cannot get documents to the judges.

I see Humboldt Court Operations Manager Kelly Nyberg and Assistant Court Operations Manager Scott Anderson on the second floor early morning and all day helping people and answering questions. They have other operational and more pressing issues to deal with daily. 

Tipster says Judge Neel rejected the first search warrant by HCSO for Shannon Miranda and says my reporting is 100% accurate

 

I received tip this afternoon. To the person who mailed it, there was no return address, you did not sign the letter and there is no way to trace your identity. There is no reason I should not include this screenshot and put it on the blog. You know that those afraid of the truth question me but not other local media and it is time to start documenting the selective treatment and targeting applied to me and document examples.

The reason you asked me to not to post the screenshot is selfish. I am the one who is constantly attacked, harassed, smeared, lied about and my livelihood threatened; most recently for my reporting on the Miranda's Rescue investigation. It happens a lot in Humboldt because we have cowardly local media. We have others in this county used to controlling the media. My reporting is inconvenient to other local media, the people who want control the narrative and the powers to be. What I do is journalism.

I am the one who risks putting my name and being threatened. You are not the only one who has misused anonymity. I report what other media won't and that is why you sent this to me. 

You also did something that someone who not only misused anonymity but expects me to spend time, getting information and verifying alleged claims. 

I have no free time. I don't make money to cover my most basic expenses in Humboldt; I have to subsidize my reporting because most of Humboldt is cheap and selfish. I lose money and have no time to make money with the constant attacks and distractions. There is money in Humboldt and all my readers, especially the businesses, law enforcement and those at the Courthouse can afford to contribute. 

You made two other mistakes. 1. You had the incorrect p.o. box but I still got the letter. The p.o. box you put is the one for court ops. Which means you looked up my mailing address and wrote down the incorrect p.o. box and knew where to get it and this is a tip from inside the Courthouse because my address is not available to just anyone in the public. 2. You want me to believe that you overheard two deputies on the second floor? I know most of these deputies. They would not do that in such a public place. They are decent, hardworking men and women who take their job seriously.

Even the female deputy who is extremely unprofessional and friends with the out of control male extra help deputy who I filed a complaint about are not that dumb. That obnoxious extra help male deputy who is no longer at a local law enforcement agency I respect and an ingrate. He is someone I defended in the past and HCSO chose to do nothing about my complaint which is  typical for HCSO. Despite my having an attorney and another reporter and camera evidence; despite my telling the Sheriff and Humboldt County CAO I would not go to a lawyer; they chose to allow this guy to stay because the good ole boys think they are untouchable.

No deputy would talk about a high profile case on the second floor. Unless those you claim did it when they thought no one was listening. 

If any deputy was talking about this on the second floor; then that is a problem for Humboldt County Sheriff William Honsal to handle. Although, he shouldn't until he addresses potential conflicts of interest.

That is if Billy stops hiding these days and decides to have cajones and answer Ms. Allison Jackson. Billy won't make a statement to media and public about concerns and questions I raised. Why? This is what happens when your daddy, a good ole boy, is buds with your former boss and other good ole boys and they hand you the job. Then power goes to your head. 

Now, tipster  had you said one of the HCSO higher ups was blabbing, I would believe it because there have been loose lips about other investigations outside the Courthouse in public places. How do you think I got my Tyler Colegrove and where the gun was found scoop?

Whoever you are, I do believe you are sincere in your compliment to me and your motivation is to protect the rest of HCSO and the integrity of the local courts. If you don't want to send me more information; don't. 

If you read all my coverage on the Miranda's rescue investigation, I have exclusives on a letter Sheriff William Honsal ignored. I called out Jody Honsal and raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest. There is more. All this before this letter and this tip because I do my job as a journalist.

Why has the other local media not questioned Sheriff Honsal about potential conflicts of interest?

A affadavit leaked to parties and press convenient to the narrative of the pitchfork crowd who attacked me for simply trying to fairly cover the Miranda Rescue investigation. I am not pro any one other than pro truth.

I have submitted a PRA request to the County of Humboldt for the search warrant excecuted May 1 and also a request for any earlier application rejected by Honorable Judge Kelly Neel, Presiding Judge of Humboldt Superior Court.

I have no way of verifying if Billy went up to Judge Neel's chambers. The only way to get that information is for some people to have the courage to contact me and those people deserve anonymity because of the risk involved.

The reason Billybob Honsal and his arrogant wife Jody are so arrogant is because Billy has Bubba good ole boy Rex Bohn constantly defending Honsal. Rex, who has made a career of the most terms by a Humboldt County Supervisor. Rex and his sycophants need to stfu about how hard he works when he is paid by the taxpayers for schmoozing and blubbering. Anyone can network and claim success when they don't have to earn it on merit, their paycheck is guaranteed and their position makes people suck up to them.

I have zero faith in Sheriff Honsal to be the chief law enforcement officer of this county. It isn't just about the Miranda's Rescue investigation. I have covered other cases.

As for the people smearing me, my readers are upset. The pitchfork crowd and gossipmongers who have gone after me recently has bothered many. They see what I go through and your actions show them. I told them to save the screenshots. I was going to write about someone else who doesn't know me but has plenty to say on social media lately. I could have written about her recent court case and used it to show how she "weaponizes social media" and drama is her life. She is irrelevant and not worth wasting space. The quotation marks are words from filings in her court case.

Many of the people mouthing off don't know me. If they do, there is an agenda,  bias or I exposed them. If anyone wants to believe ad hominem nonsense and online drama; they are worse than those stalking, harassing, smearing  me. Trash and sewage in the gutter is cleaner than the mouth, minds and character of the destructive, toxic Humboldt haters who are afraid of truth and independent reporting.

How many times does Kimberly Baird have to be arrested before there are legal consequences and she is in custody for public safety?

 

Yesterday, Kimberly Michelle Baird was arrested by HCSO for PC 243 (e) (1) domestic battery.

Utah media has done an excellent job covering and photographing the Tyler Robinson case with all the restrictions imposed and the defense whining at every hearing

 

Just some of the images from today's hearing in the Tyler Robinson case courtesy Salt Lake Tribune.

Humboldt Deputy Counsel Heather Durand being considered for Retired Judge Joyce Hinrich's vacant seat

Finally, some movement about Retired Humboldt Superior Court Judge Joyce Hinrich's vacant seat. I have done many posts about no news from California Governor's Office of Judicial Appointments.

Three potential names I mentioned in the past were Humboldt Superior Court Commissioner Sarah Kaber; former Humboldt Deputy County Counsel Karen Roebuck and Humboldt Deputy DA Jessica Watson.

Recently, Humboldt Deputy County Counsel Heather Durand who some may know as Heather Cooper, is under consideration.

Had to go on Google and X to find out about Facebook outage

 

Thought Facebook was working again. Still glitchy. 

Humboldt clerk DUI case dismissed days before trial; Public Defender's office assigns one of their most experienced attorneys for a misdemeanor?

 

Yesterday was trial confirmation for Humboldt Superior Court Deputy Clerk Annisha Harris' DUI case. I saw her sitting in court. Retired Humboldt Superior Court Judge John Feeney is in Courtroom 2 this week.

With all the cases on yesterday, I checked the court minutes which just said case was dismissed.

I checked with Deputy District Attorney Andrew Truitt and he said, "for insufficient evidence."

There was enough to arrest her and charge her but suddenly at trial confirmation, with a jury trial scheduled on 6/15, the case goes away?

Since when does the Public Defender's office assign an experienced attorney usually handling rape and homicide cases; Deputy Public Defender Ben McLaughlin for a misdemeanor? 

These are the two posts I did on her case.

https://johnchiv.blogspot.com/2026/05/public-defender-appointed-in-humboldt.html?m=1

https://johnchiv.blogspot.com/2026/03/da-charges-humboldt-deputy-clerk.html?m=1

At the Humboldt courthouse, everyone talks about everyone else's business. I am not going to repeat what they said about Annisha when she was arrested and before this dismissal because I have no idea if that is true, lies or gossip. Did she learn her lesson after her DUI arrest? Only time will tell.

She has spoken to me directly about drinking and invited me once for drinks which I declined. I have written about this in one of my many posts about the Courthouse. I did not name her in that post.

https://johnchiv.blogspot.com/2026/04/this-is-kind-of-unecessary-filing.html?m=1

I don't think any case involving anyone working for Humboldt Superior Court or in Humboldt Superior Court should be heard in Humboldt County. 

"Courts are full of delays."

Brian Harrison's jurors asked to come back at 10:30. Deliberations not started for today. 

James Atkins jury trial has not started because his attorney, Mr. Anthony Tall is not here. Jurors asked to return at 1:30.

I told Humboldt Superior Court Operations Manager Scott Anderson, "Not a good day to be a juror."

He responded, "Courts are full of delays."

12:51 p.m: Mr. Tall is here. Saw him outside the Courthouse. The trial was dark yesterday and Mr. Tall flew back from L.A. this morning.

2::12 p.m. Eureka Police Commander Wayne Rabang and EPD Forensic Analyst Carly Michaels are testifying this afternoon as rebuttal witnesses for the People in the Atkins trial.

2:30 p.m. Verdict in Harrison case. Sentencing tomorrow afternoon. I will do one post.

Trinidad Gomez sentenced to 8 years in prison

Convicted molestor Trinidad Gomez's sentencing concluded a few minutes ago. Count 1 6 years. Count 2 years. This information is from Humboldt County DA Investigator Ryan Hill right after the sentencing. Court minutes also included.

I had other cases to cover and had decided to just post court minutes and any press release from the DA's office. Senior Deputy District Attorney Whitney Timm was not going to be there or I would have attended in person. As I expected, Deputy DA Carolyn Schaffer appeared on the case.

Probation report was provided and filed on 6/8/26. Retired Humboldt Superior Court Judge John Feeney presided over the trial. Deputy Conflict Counsel Owen Tipps is Gomez' attorney.

"The Eureka Police Department reminds motorists that driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is dangerous, illegal, and will not be tolerated."

 

On June 11, 2026, at approximately 4:20 a.m., officers with the Eureka Police Department (EPD) responded to the 2100 block of Williams Street for a report of a vehicle collision into a parked vehicle.

New Humboldt County Deputy Public Defender Lauren LaBow assisting in domestic violence and false imprisonment jury trial

 This is not a case I am following and I did not  report on his May 13, 2026 arrest for these charges. 

These are the search results for Harrison in Humboldt Superior Court. He has convictions in all his prior criminal cases except CR1904370.

The alleged victim is not listed in the 2026 complaint so I don't know if it is the same woman from his family law case.

Harrison comes into the Courthouse with his backpack and quietly sits there until Courtroom 5 opens.

It was a short trial . Jurors started deliberations at 11:20 a.m. Today the jury sent notes at 11:50 a.m. and 3:02 p.m which were discussed in a closed courtroom. Court minutes state readback of testimony.

Humboldt Superior Court Judge April  

Van Dyke was assigned this trial after Harrison filed a disqualification against Judge Lawrence Killoran. 

Deputy District Attorney Matt Dobie is the prosecutor. This is his 4th jury trial.

Deputy Public Defender Ehvan Schectman is Harrison's attorney is assisted by new Deputy Public Defender Lauren LaBow.

Defense request for dismissal was denied yesterday. Prospective juror put up Facebook post about jury selection.

6/10/26: Jurors have not even started deliberating. They were asked to return at 10:30 a.m.

Six bailiffs ran into Courtroom 2

Six bailiffs ran into Courtroom 2.

I just saw them escort an inmate out of the courtroom, could not see who since they turned on the smart glass opaque feature. Retired Judge John Feeney is in Courtroom 2. 

I was at the other end of the hallway and I know better than to follow six deputies running into a courtroom. Never interfere with law enforcement when they are in the middle of doing their job.

Photos on second floor are prohibited.

Von Butterfield hires Patrik Griego; charged with possession of cocaine in this second DUI case and exhibition of speed

 

I was and have been the only one to report on Von Hawley Butterfield's arrest by Eureka Police Department. 

https://johnchiv.blogspot.com/2026/04/epd-arrested-von-hawley-butterfield-on.html?m=1

Janssen Malloy advertises with me and other local media yet I don't do selective coverage. I covered this arrest before Butterfield hired Mr. Patrik Griego. 

Hiring Mr. Griego is a smart decision since this is not a first DUI offense for Butterfield and there is an alleged drug charge. Butterfield needs an experienced criminal defense attorney.

Previously, Butterfield was represented by Mr. Ben Okin which I reported in my April 30 post.

The Humboldt County DA filed charges on 5/22/26. Butterfield was arraigned this morning on three misdemeanors. Count 1 driving when license is suspended or revoked due to DUI.  Count 2 possessing cocaine. Count 3 exhibition of speed.

Deputy District Attorney Dave Watson filed the complaint. Deputy DA Andrew Truitt appeared on the case today. Trial confirmation is on 8/12; jury trial on 8/17.

Will DA present and be able to prove alleged gang related allegations in Hoopa homicide co-defendant case?

Today, setting for preliminary hearing was scheduled in the Tselin Lincoln and William Warren case. I already reported that Ms. Rebecca Linkous, Warren's attorney filed a motion to compel which was scheduled for 6/16.

Ms. Andrea Sullivan is Lincoln's attorney. Senior Deputy District Attorney Roger Rees is the prosecutor for both cases.

As expected, the setting was continued to next week. All attorneys agreed. 

Mr. Rees requested that setting of preliminary hearing be "put over until next week when the  motion to compel" is scheduled. Ms. Linkous agreed and said, "significant discovery is outstanding." Ms. Sullivan was in agreement and told Humboldt Superior Court Judge Steven Steward, "she maybe present that day" in person. Ms. Sullivan practices all over California and currently based in Southern California.

What is more important is that both defense attorney brought up the several gang allegations alleged and what the DA intends to present and can prove in this case.

There is information shared with me in confidence from more than one source but requires verification and releasing it before a preliminary hearing in a case that has a lot of emotion and different factions of a community affected requires caution.

After losing his appeal in federal court, Watson is back in court for City of Arcata's request to renew restraining order

 

This is the last post I did on Brett Watson. I covered his criminal case, the case filed by the City of Arcata in which a permanent restraining order was granted for three years and his violation of probation.

Look at the number of posts I did on Watson from 2021 and, as usual, I covered what other media did not bother to or ignored.

On 6/10,  2022 case filed by the City of Arcata against Watson is scheduled in front of Humboldt Superior Court Judge Timothy Canning who granted the restraining order on March 17, 2023 for three years.

It is for the renewal of the workplace restraining harassment order. It was continued from 6/8/26. Watson already requested one continuance before that date on 4/13.

There have been a lot of developments including an appeal filed by Watson in federal court. It was denied.

San Diego attorney Ms. Kathryn Fox is the attorney for City of Arcata. Watson has hired a new attorney from Santa Rosa, Mr. Joel Fleck.

Commissioner Sarah Kaber is disqualified. I will add the declaration by Arcata City Manager Merritt Perry.

Most locals are familiar with the details of City of Arcata vs Watson and I have court documents in prior coverage. 

1:40 p.m.: No other media is here. No one in the courtroom. Attorneys, witnesses and Watson all are on Zoom. 

Mr. Fleck continued his cross examination of Danielle Allred, Contracts & Special Projects Manager for City of Arcata. There was some confusion since earlier, the name stated was Danette Demello. It is very hard to hear some people on Zoom, especially in Courtroom 4. Even the clerk and sometimes the judge have to ask people to speak up. Court minutes are in draft form  for 6/10 and not complete but I did confirm the name and the witness was Allred.

Allred made a statement about speaking to other people.

Mr. Fleck, "So you were encouraged?"

Allred clarified she asked the City of Arcata "HR director whether it was okay to speak to a particular individual who could not testify."

Mr. Fleck was particularly interested if Allred spoke with Arcata Councilmember Meredith Matthews. "Were you aware Meredith Matthews brought this motion to renew the restraining order?"

He stated, "Most people you spoke to was in 2021, 2022, 2023?"

2:20 p.m. Hearing is still going on. Testifying is former City of Arcata attorney Nancy Diamond. She testified about an email mentioned in the court documents, allegedly sent by Watson. She called him self serving. 

2:40 p.m Watson testified as a rebuttal witness. 

Ms. Fox, "Has he made other email addresses in the past?"

Diamond testified about Watson's computer savviness. She mentioned local media coverage in the past. "The comments included cute and  fictitious characters."

Diamond testified that she believed some of the online commenters on local media leaving comments favorable to Watson in October 2022 were made by him. Diamond mentioned users' names and the similarities to City of Arcata employees.

"Amelia Sinkhorn is very close to Emily Sinkhorn, the City of Arcata Environmental Director," said Diamond. "Emily Goldstein is close to Delilah Goldstein, another Councilmember."

You can come to your own conclusions whether Diamond was correct if a "strange" email sent to her was from Watson and about the online comments.

I blocked Watson years ago while covering his case and my own experience with him at that time made me agree with the original restraining order. These are ineffective, especially in Humboldt. There are many obsessive people in this County and they get fixated on people for years. If you have not experienced this firsthand, you cannot understand what the City of Arcata is going through.

I have experienced several people who have multiple email addresses, create multiple anon accounts and leave clues about their alleged identity. It is one reason I don't allow or trust anon accounts.

Witnesses are being questioned about information and the court documents have enough. This hearing did not need to go on for two days but Watson and Fleck will drag it out with unnecessary questions and waste time. Even there is a ruling today, I will update when it is concluded and if court minutes are available tomorrow.

6/11/26: Court minutes are still in draft form, there is no future date listed but there is an signed order from Judge Canning stating restraining order in this matter granted 3/17/23 is in effect until 9/8/26.

I will add court minutes later when they are available. I need to go through court documents to see what I included in prior coverage. I don't know when that will be. I want to wait for Judge Canning's ruling about the renewal before I waste time adding all documents. Very few people are going to look through all the court documents and I provide them for free.

The other media did not show up. If they cover this now because they read and follow me but you heard it here first from original reporting.

Convicted molestor Andrew Cunningham is still serving time, his case is on this morning for a hearing on restitution

 

Convicted molestor Andrew Cunningham's 2018 case is on calendar this morning. 

On 5/29, the Humboldt County District Attorney filed a motion for entry of restitution.

Senior Deputy District Attorney Whitney Timm is the prosecutor for this case. She is out of the office this week. Deputy District Attorney Carolyn Schaffer appeared on the case for the People. Mr. Michael Robinson is Cunningham's attorney for the case. Ms. Joanne Carter specially appeared for him today.

Ms. Schaffer told Humboldt Superior Court Judge Steven Steward that she was withdrawing her motion for $693.87 because there is not enough evidence at this time.

CDCR inmate locator shows Cunningham at the California Medical Facility.

I am not going to link all the posts I have done on this 2018 case. I provided screenshots of three posts and the links to those posts and three more which include his plea.