Tausha Merisha Lazenby was arrested by HCSO yesterday for PC 273(a)(b) child endangerment and PC 273.5(a) domestic violence.
Rufus William Cooke was arrested yesterday by HCSO for PC 273.5(a) domestic violence.
Tausha Merisha Lazenby was arrested by HCSO yesterday for PC 273(a)(b) child endangerment and PC 273.5(a) domestic violence.
Rufus William Cooke was arrested yesterday by HCSO for PC 273.5(a) domestic violence.
Courtroom 2 was dark because no Visiting or Retired Judge was available. Pigs will fly before California Governor Gavin Newsom will appoint someone to fill Retired Humboldt Superior Court Judge Joyce Hinrich's seat.
One courtroom being dark further impacts preliminary hearings and jury trials. Serious and felony cases are trailing misdemeanor cases because those defendants did not waive time.
To anyone with common sense, more serious cases in custody should get precedence but courts and government have cookie cutter policies and laws and defense attorneys and defendants will game the system.
For those interested in that appointment, they have read all my coverage and know why. Ditto for why Humboldt Superior Court backlog.
For those interested in the jury trial for convicted felon Logan Brewer Hearst drug and firearm case, I have been adding minor updates to my June 24 post.
Some of those updates are why Brewer Hearst's case has not gone to trial. It has been trailing other jury trials, including misdemeanor cases. No one has heard of these defendants and by the time Brewer-Hearst goes to trial, no one except those impacted will be interested in the outcome.
6/24/26: OR bail on 6/25; jury trial + motion to strike 6/29.
6/25/26: OR & SR denied by Retired Visiting Judge Ksenia Tsenin; Brewer-Hearst remains on no bail status.
6/29/26: Jury trial + motion to strike conviction continued to 6/30 no judge and no courtroom.
6/30/26: Jury trial + motion to strike conviction continued to 7/1.
7/1/26: Jury trial + motion to strike conviction continued to 7/6 with yet another OR bail hearing. Attorneys met with Retired Judge Christopher Wilson today.
Every day, attorneys and I waste time to hear the same no judge/no courtroom available.
Trailing day by day when there is no chance the case will go to trial is a waste of time. As are most Humboldt daily and multiple continuances.
I made the decision not to do live coverage of the James Atkins hearing. And it proved to be the correct one. The defense request for continuance was granted. Court trial on bifurcated issues and trial setting on Count 2 is on 8/10.
Atkins is under the misguided delusion he is in charge. Dragging out the court trial on bifurcated issues and risking being tried on the second count of attempted murder is a gamble that is his choice. It would be a different jury. The People are taking a chance too but they are not faced with the possibility of another possible life sentence.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Roger Rees is the prosecutor for the case. Mr. Anthony Tall is Atkins' attorney.
See court minutes for details.
The Daryl Jones case was on at the same time. I could have just posted court minutes for that case as well but I chose to cover it and the data was the main reason.
11:32 Saw these two EPD officers walk from Mother Bernard House near 4th and M walk to their vehicles. 11:34 A third officer is here. Saw one of the officers make a call. Another officer go back to Mother Bernard House and talk to residents? Will see if I can get any information.
At 1:39 p.m, EPD PIO Laura Montagna said she did not know anything at this time but will get back to me when she has any information.
There is a prima facie hearing in the Daryl Jones case this morning on the Humboldt County District Attorney's decision to disqualify Humboldt Superior Court Presiding Judge Kelly Neel.
8:32 a.m. Senior Deputy District Attorney Rees went into Courtroom 3 for the Atkins case briefly since that case is on at the same time. That we waited for Conflict Counsel Supervising Attorney Meagan O'Connell. At 8:37, the hearing proceeded. For those who want the summary, DA lost to Ms. O'Connell. The highlights are since 2018, the DA disqualified and filed a 170.6 Judge Neel 131 times. I covered a lot of what was said in arguments in previous posts in detail. Read the June 16 post because it has most of what Mr. Rees, Ms. O'Connell said in court and the case Humboldt Superior Court Assistant Judge Timothy Canning referenced. I reported on this blanket disqualification in 2023.
Prima facie hearing for mental health diversion is scheduled on 7/31 in front of Judge Neel at 8:30 a.m. If it goes to a contested hearing, it will be on the 2:30 calendar that afternoon.
No court reporter was available and today's hearing was recorded.
For those who want more details, Ms. O' Connell said the DA's decision to disqualify Judge Neel was a "bad faith blanket challenge. The data I could obtain in such a short time shows the number of 170.6's since Judge Neel took the bench." Ms. O'Connell said this number was compared to other judges who are assigned to criminal cases all the time such as Judge Kaleb Cockrum and Judge Lawrence Killoran.
"Since 2018, the DA challenged Judge Neel 131 times without her being in criminal assignment," said Ms. O'Connell. "That rises to blanket challenge. She has been relegated to non criminal assignment. This presents minimum prima facie showing."
"We haven't seen the data," said Mr. Rees. "There is no showing to the Court when the 131 challenges were made or how recently. Ms. O'Connell handed me something just now."
Mr. Rees asked to look at the paperwork. "I am looking at this data. There was one challenge in 2026, two challenges in 2025. There is no information when Judge Neel filled in for other criminal calendars. The People appear in front of Judge Neel daily in juvenile cases. We haven't disqualified her."
"I am talking about adult criminal cases," said Ms. O' Connell. "Judge Neel in 2025 and 2026 is not hearing adult criminal cases. 131 170.6 in adult crininal cases is what this case relates to. The Court said it would take me a month to get percentages. For today's purpose, this is in support of that, it is more judge shopping, not for the purpose of 170.6"
Judge Canning mentioned J.O. vs Superior Court. I went into detail on that ruling in the June 16 post. "Based on the document and Ms. O'Connell's representation, the Court finds defendant has made prima facie burden. The 170.6 issued against Judge Neel was exercised in bad faith. The DA has to show that Judge Neel is prejudiced and give a specofic explaination."
Mr. Rees went into a brief explaination about the 170.1 and why it was not filed and why the 170.6 was filed. I covered all this in my previous coverage and by my own research in e court. Read the June 16, June 4, June 2 and May 28 post.
Ms. O'Connell pointed out that what Mr. Rees said about Judge Neel, "the prejudice would be against Mr. Jones. We have not disqualified Judge Neel."
Again, I was in court when Judge Neel made a disclosure and why she did not recuse herself. Read the previous posts.
"It does appear that the 170.6 issues relate more to the defendant," said Judge Canning. He ruled that there was prejudice against Judge Neel.
Ms. O'Connell and I disagree on a lot, Mr. Rees and I agree on a lot but in this case, Ms. O'Connell is correct. Mr. Rees and other Deputy DAs have to argue what is an unfortunate position made by the office. We will never know who made the decision and who was involved but the buck stops at the top. I do not always agree with any judge's rulings but Judge Neel is the only one who has experience in criminal, civil, family and she worked at Humboldt County Counsel. I respect her lot and her management style. It is time for her to hear criminal cases again. Anyone can call the juvenile calendar.
I reported on this blanket disqualification in 2023 and I have observed the disqualifications in real time. There was a period where the public defenders did this to Judge Cockrum so "judge shopping" is done by both sides. Humboldt gets so personal where they cannot separate the person from the job. I get that the DA and defense attorneys are different parts of a criminal justice system. I do not want Daryl Jones to get mental health diversion but in Humboldt Superior Court and with California laws, who hears the mental health diversion will not make a difference unless a Humboldt Superior Court decides to take advantage of AB 46 which California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law. Judges have the discretion to deny diversion if there is concern for public safety.
Court minutes are not supposed to be even as detailed as this but these court minutes are done by the criminal court clerk supervisor.
There is still a difference between live coverage and court minutes and my coverage versus that of other media because it has 12 years of observation and experience of covering Humboldt courts and experience.
Jeremy and Jenny Ludwig are suing Meta Platform, Inc. on behalf of a minor.The lawsuit was filed on 6/17/26. There is a Case Management Conference on 12/14/26. The Ludwigs have hired San Francisco law firm, Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP.
The complaint was only added yesterday according to someone else checking for another legal service.
I have provided court documents which have details. I am not providing the entire lengthy complaint. You can go look it up or pay for a copy.
In my June 21 post, I wrote, "Humboldt County Sheriff William Honsal is a coward. He glares at me recently since my coverage of the Miranda's Rescue investigation and probably won't say anything to my face like most in Humboldt.
Like others exposed, Billy makes a choice to call me a blogger instead of a reporter. When and if I get my latest CPRA request about the letter Billy finally sent to Ms. Allison Jackson after I called him out repeatedly; you will see Billy's own words which are short on facts and attacking me and others instead of self reflection.
Billy also made a statement which was untrue. I have proof but need the County's response to my CPRA.
Blogger is not the diss Billybob or anyone else in podunk Humboldt thinks it is because new media has been the norm for a while now. It is recognized by the White House. Those in the current administration, unlike Humboldt, are people who are successful and have influence. Humboldt, as usual, is decades behind the rest of the country and the world. "
SCOTUS has a blog, lawyers have a blog but I digress. I already addressed the blog diss and more in the June 21 post and included a popcorn emoji for two of my biggest "fans", Jenna Moore and Jody Honsal.
I put in this PRA request on June 17.
This is Sheriff Honsal's response. Sent after I repeatedly called him out.
Now that I have your response Billy, you made an accusation about Ms.Jackson and me which is a lie. You did it with no proof; reacting because your ego was bruised.
I did not get the letter from Ms. Jackson. I have proof. I got it from a community member. I was very clear when I posted the letter that I did not get it from Ms. Jackson or Shannon Miranda. Can you not read Billy or do you ignore what is inconvenient?
You and anyone will not see who gave it to me because my source will remain confidential in this very high profile case.
Billy, what bothered you was that I published it and you are not man enough to admit it. You can't control me and get me to go along with the narrative you and Jenna and the pitchfork crowd wants.
Why are you against transparency Billy? Ms. Jackson's letter called you out just as I have many times over the years. You only like media who stroke your ego and who you can control.
The implied threat, the advice and your condescending lecture to Ms. Jackson is something you need to follow yourself. Stop projecting. Your wife should not be commenting and being a cheerleader for the complaining party in this investigation. People read Ms. Jackson's letter. That letter includes many concerns I raised before I was even aware she communicated with you.
The pitchork crowd turning on you, Rex Bohn, Mike McGuire is so cathartic to watch.
For me, the Miranda's Rescue investigation is about your failed "leadership" of HCSO, botched investigations that result in pleas such as Ray Christie and Georgi Tonev, crucifying people such as Ray Christie, Georgi Tonev and Shannon Miranda and allowing zealots to dictate who you investigate. You are a co-defendant in a federal lawsuit filed by Ray Christie and in addition to what I reported while his 2018 case was going on, more information has come out in initial disclosure. Which complaints get follow up and which are ignored is something that needs to be fixed and you and your Humboldt good ole boys and gals are the reason this happens. The pitchfork crowd is exposing you, Rex, Mike and the two faced turnaround with all of jumping on the Miranda's Rescue bandwagon now because all of you are self serving elected officials.
The one positive of this shitshow is that with national and international scrutiny, all that I have called out about Humboldt for 12 plus years on my blog and other platforms is being exposed to the world and there are more eyes on you, Rex, Mike and Humboldt.
In all of this us vs them, the helpless animals are being forgotten. I hope those questioning Billy and the politicians continue to ask who knew what and when. All responsible for the death of the animals should be held accountable. Some of the online commenters agree with a person I quoted. She said others passed their guilt on to Shannon. The shelters maintained their stats while sending animals they were not willing to keep to Humboldt. Those are valid observations being ignored in this so called "impartial" investigation. The Miranda's Rescue investigation should look into all involved in animal rescue in Humboldt and any related California shelters who are outraged now but prior to a couple of months ago were silent.
Why isn't Billy and Jody's bff Jenna's Rescue being looked at if there is such concern about the welfare of animals? Yesterday Billy said he had a plan if Shannon could not take care of the animals. Why didn't he say what that plan was and does it involve Jenna Moore?
Billy, don't hold a press conference if you won't answer certain questions. You wasted everyone's time yesterday to recap what we already knew through press releases and updates. Someone made you look smart by providing the penal codes and law. Probably the same person who suggested the interpreter which was a first at a HCSO press conference.
There was mostly local media yesterday at the press conference and the "significant interest" is waning because other than some locals, no one is interested in Jenna and the drama queens of Fortuna, Ferndale and Rio Dell who spend more time online making fun of people's appearances and cackling about their homophobic and childish Facebook posts and going on homophobic and transphobic rants. If you want to be petty Jenna, you supposedly have money, get those split ends fixed and consult someone who actually knows fashion in this century before you criticize anyone else.
Jenna Moore, Jennifer Raymond's opinion and the opinion of all the white, liberal zealots of me as a journalist or a person means nothing. The left defines journalists as those who parrot and do what they want and the radical, unhinged left have an issue with the truth and anyone who is LGBTQ and a moderate or conservative. The left will dox, out and harass anyone who exposes them and stands in the way. Before I had my blog, there were people in the local left who doxxed, outed and hated me from progressive left in the local Democrat party.
This isn't about journalism or my coverage of Miranda's Rescue. It is about hate, envy and those threatened by anyone who does not fit in their narrow bubble and those exposed in a small, rural county who ran the show and got away with it because no one called them out or stood up to them.
Have any of you losers who are mouthing off about me been a part of winning election campaigns?Have any of them exposed a former judge in real time with information corroborated by the California Commission on Judicial Performance? Have any of them taken the abuse I have for 22 years and taken on the powers to speak up for women victims and survivors? And, I do all this at my expense.
Jenna's opinion of anyone means zilch because her hate is being displayed in real time and she is showing that this isn't about animals but about her ego, her need for attention and her perception she has been wronged. Shannon and Jenna have a history. Jenna and Shannon's husband have history.
Jenna doesn't know me. She goes off on tangents on a podcast and even at a press conference about me. Not with facts or evidence. She doesn't have any.
Mike McGuire and Chris Rogers are okay with Jenna and others being homophobic and transphobic as long as this recent Miranda's outrage gets them votes from the white, liberal California women who you hear screaming at every protest du jour. Billy and Rex play both sides for votes.
Jenna and others have posted vile homophobic, transphobic and other lies about me fed to you from local haters whose own personal lives and skeletons in the closet I could expose. Unlike Jenna and her loser mean girls, I have facts . My opinions can be backed up by facts and observations. What does the tangents about me have to do with dead animals? Jenna and others have posted homophobic, vile posts about Shannon and his husband.
The pitchfork crowd know as much about freedom of speech as they do about the law which is nothing.
What do the ad hominem Facebook posts have to do with dead dogs other than hate, narcissism and control?
Facebook accounts and opinions are like...everyone has one and the pitchfork crowd, you act like...all the time.
You all have an obsession and you fixate on people and then you gossip and attack them. Jenna and her cohorts posting on Facebook has provided documentation that is very beneficial. Please don't stop. Please let Jenna Moore continue to be your spokesperson. Let everyone outside Humboldt, Marin and other woke California counties see the joke that Humboldt is and let the real agenda of the zealots be exposed. Hate filled personal agendas of vile, miserable people who shamefully are using the tragedy of dead dogs and animals as an excuse to attack others they do not like. Silencing dissent, hate and destroying livelihood of those who have different views and refuse to kow tow to the hive is the playbook of radical left.
Local politicians, law enforcement and the courts should step up and protect those being attacked but they won't and they haven't. The Jenna and Jennifer Raymond clown show has gone on because the above are useless and gutless. Jenna and Jennifer are useful to them because they attack certain people including me and the above get to keep their hands clean. These attacks are to silence me and my reporting.
To the animal rescue zealots, if you truly care about animals, why have you not asked your friend Billy to look into the conditions of the animals at the Humboldt Auction Yard? Or are ranches and farms belonging to Billybob and Bubba Rex's friends and connections given a pass?
There are other crimes and victims in Humboldt County and other news. For two months, Sheriff Billybob, now joined by Bubba Rex, Mike McGuire and Chris Rogers have allowed this hateful mob to take away HCSO resources for a personal agenda. There is other news to report. The activist Humboldt and other media tools can continue to give Jenna Moore and the other narcissists a daily bully pulpit with nothing new to report, no final report by HCSO and no charges filed by the Humboldt County DA.
On June 28, I said Humboldt Superior Court Judge Steven Steward was wrong to deny the People's request to remand Scott Joachim.
E court summary stated Joachim failed to appear. I checked court minutes and you can see Joachim showed up late via Zoom. Bench warrant of $35,000 was issued held until next court date of 7/16/26 when Dr. Brunetto's report is due. Dr. reports can take months. Who knows whether Joachim will show up at the next court date. With the bail bond forfeited; what is Joachim's incentive? I am no longer following the case since criminal proceedings are suspended.
Senate Pro Tempore Emeritus Mike McGuire and Assemblymember Chris Rogers just sent out this joint press release.
I guess the 14th Amendnent and innocent until proven guilty means nothing to these California elected officials.
This is how their joint statement starts.
What’s happened at Miranda’s Rescue is absolutely sickening and the operators must be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.
Yesterday, I was wondering why Jenna Moore was at the HCSO press conference. I mentioned it in my coverage yesterday.
https://johnchiv.blogspot.com/2026/06/allison-jackson-jenna-moore-and-media.html?m=1
Today, I got the answer. The best tips are unexpected. While I was out and about this morning, I was told by someone I know well who saw Jenna at Costco yesterday. According to my source, Jenna was in the checkout lane talking to someone saying how she got pulled over by CHP and she told CHP she got a call from Billy Honsal and had an invite and she was on her way there. Jenna said CHP let her go.
Billy Honsal aka Humboldt County Sheriff William Honsal aka Jody Honsal's husband for readers who are not from Humboldt County.
If you have been reading my coverage about the Miranda's rescue, you read the posts about Jody Honsal and Jenna Moore. Now, Jenna thinks it is okay in a public place to dropped Billybob's name and how she got away with a CHP stop?
The link is to a post I did earlier on Jenna Moore's Humboldt Superior Court court cases including her current lawsuit against Ford Motor Company which I am covering; conviction in a 2024 CHP traffic; acquital in the CHP 2025 traffic case; her lawsuit against Safeco which was dismissed; her petition for a restraining order against Shannon Miranda which was denied by Humboldt Superior Court Commissioner Sarah Kaber but her petition for restraining order against Shannon's husband James Oxborrow was granted by Commissioner Kaber. Jenna filed two different petitions; one against Shannon and one against James. Ms. Allison Jackson represented Shannon Miranda and I was in the courtroom for some of Jenna's testimony. I included Commissioner Kaber's ruling in Shannon's case.
https://johnchiv.blogspot.com/2026/05/chrisjenna-aka-jenna-moore-since-you.html?m=1
Today is the last day for Dutchy Pizza in an Arcata. Whether it is a business decision due to the local economy or it has something to do with a dispute between owners or whether it has something to do with one of the owners Jatinder Singh's recent DUI conviction is unclear. I am following up and will update as I get information.
I know the landlords/property owners of the former Dutchy's location. When I contacted them, all they confirmed was that today is the last day for the business. They told me, at this time, they have no further comment.
The photo of Kody Marcelli above is a amateur MMA fighter profile that shows up in a google search as does a listing for tree trimmer/general laborer. I have no idea what he is doing now nor is the status of his career of any interest to me.
I covered Kody Marcelli in 2018. The screenshots included in this post do not include all my coverage on the 2018 case. Ms. Heidi Wells represented him in the 2018 case in which he was convicted of assault.
Another local family that gave me grief for covering a legitimate case. See the screenshots for what Humboldt Superior Court Judge Kaleb Cockrum said to Marcelli.
I saw his he was arrested for DUI in 2026 by CHP and decided to follow up if and when charges were filed. The Humboldt County DA filed charges on 5/29/26. In addition to the DUI and high blood alcohol counts which each have special allegations, Marcelli is charged with hit and run resulting in property damage.
Marcelli was arraigned this morning. Public Defender's Office was appointed. Trial confirmation is on 7/23; jury trial on 8/3.
Citizenship, then and now, was the right to have rights—to freely participate in our political community. The Framers of the Fourteenth Amendment extended that promise to ‘every free-born person in this land,’” Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the court, citing congressional debate over the amendment, “We keep that promise today."
Most reports, except Fox News, state the ruling as 6-3. One of three who dissented, Justice Brett Kavanaugh, said the order violated federal law but not the Constitution.
In another 6-3 ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court with the majority opinion written by Justice Brett Kavanaugh, states may ban transgender girls from participating in sports at publicly funded schools.
The ruling states that state-level bans do not violate the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause and these restrictions do not conflict with Title IX.
Several media outlets are here for the HCSO press conference on the Miranda's Rescue investigation. I am not necessarily going to post the entire press conference live but any live updates will be on the blog. I can give you one exclusive. Ms. Allison Jackson is here for the press conference.
I am seated in the front row besides Ms. Jackson, Lost Coast Outpost Ryan Burns and Jenna Moore.
The U.S. Supreme Court in a 5-4 ruling said that states can count ballots received within five days of Election Day if they are postmarked by Election Day.
Justice Amy Coney Barrett wrote the majority opinion. She was joined by Chief Justice John Roberts, Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson.
While this was a defeat now for the RNC, Justice Barret said Congress could change the law. “If varied deadlines for ballot receipt similarly call for a national solution, the American people must choose it through their elected representatives."
"Hi, I don’t know if you’ve seen this but I think this is why you’re getting attacked right now. This FB page is calling for people to go after you. I know you need to have a thick skin in your business, but I imagine it still doesn’t feel good to receive these types of messages. People seem to have lost sense of their humanity online. "
Thank you to the person who sent me this email.
It isn't the first time I have been through this in Humboldt but this pitchfork crowd is the most vile, rabid group. People online have lost all humanity but this crowd is about hate and witchunt and I pity any animal who has to be around that negative energy and these haters.
Unlike the person who sent me this Facebook page and helped me, the rest of Humboldt will sit back like cowards including other local media, local lawyers and local law enforcement; especially the chief law enforcement officer of this County who has allowed me to endure abuse and retaliation including from one of his own good ole boy deputies even after I filed a complaint. 825 Fifth street is a joke when it comes to justice and protection.
Who that Facebook page belongs to has been identified.