"Can Ray Christie receive a fair and impartial jury in Humboldt County?"

(Christie)

Trial setting and ruling on the 995 motion is scheduled in Ray Christie's case on February 4. I reached out to one of his attorneys, Mr. John Cogorno with some questions. Posted below is a five page statement from Mr. Cogorno in it's entirety.


"A Rush  To  Judgement"

"I  have read a  number  of articles  published in  the  local  newspapers  and on line as  well  as "comments" from people who  have prejudged Ray Christie without any understanding of the many  challenges  of the cattle business, the legal  issues  involved in his  case,  the vague, ambiguous  and  over broad  charges, and  the Constitutional issues involved. "

"I find  it  very disheartening to see what some people in California have  retreated to since the 60's  when people critically  questioned government,  government  motives,  and government  imposing more control  and  promoting  special  interest  agendas of  removing  the freedoms,  liberties, privacy,  and property  rights  of the individual  in society,  promulgated by  very  powerful  and influential special interest  groups  in  and  around  government.

I  am going to  try  herein  to  explain some,  but  far  from  all,  of the problems people may  not  be aware of and don't understand about the beef and  dairy cattle business. What has been written may have  led  some  people to  believe  from  what  they  have  read  in  the  various media outlets that Ray  Christie doesn't  care about  the cattle that  he buys. 

Let  me start  out  with the one statement  of  fact  and  that  is,  that  Ray  Christie  is  not  in  the  business  of investing his  money in  cattle  to  let  them  die.  The  death  of  any cow  that  he  purchases  is  a  loss  of  his  time,  money, energy,  and resources.  Think about  it,  there is  no profit  in that  business  plan. Animals, like  cattle, do  die and  from  many causes. Ray Christie  purchases thousands of  cattle through the auctions  and from  other  ranchers  and dairymen  in already  very  poor  and neglected physical  condition,  which are referred to at  the auction as  a "leaner," "railer," or "junk  cattle" that other ranchers don't want to  deal with  and  want to  get rid  of.

The  mortality rate for  these cattle will  naturally be very high for  the purchaser of these animals, such as Ray Christie. In addition, there are approximately forty-seven (47) poisonous plants in California, including  undiscovered black  mold found  in  hay,  which contain  mycotoxins  (mold poisons) that  can adversely  affect health and productivity  of cattle.

If ingested by  livestock such as cattle,  it  can potentially  cause mycotic (fungal)  abortion,  respiratory  effects,  decreased feed consumption and rate of gain and digestive problems,  which can lead to their  unexpected death.  There are numerous  diseases  and other  ailments  that  livestock can  develop,  such as cancer,  viral  infections,  parasitic infections  that  can result  from  environmental contamination,  and  adulteration  in food  from  black  mold.  When  cattle  are  sick from  disease or  infection or  consume poisonous  plants  or  black  mold  they  will  naturally  not  eat  or  drink "causing" them to become emaciated,  dehydrated,  with sunken eyes  and  appear to be malnourished.  Emaciation and dehydration are a "symptom," and not  the "cause"  of the animal's ailment.

Unfortunately,  no  necropsy  was performed  on  any  dead  cow  found  on  Mr. Christie's  property  by  any  government  agency  and therefore the "cause"  of death or  "when" the animal died is  unknown. Further, there were two (2) government veterinarians on site and not  one  live  cow,  which  allegedly appeared  to  be  in  “poor”  condition  on  Mr.  Christie's property,  was  removed for  examination in order  to determine the "cause"  of any emaciation, sunken eyes,  and dehydration.  In addition,  not  one cow  was  either  "treated"  for  any  ailment by  any  governmental agency  on  Mr. Christie's  property  or  removed  from  his property  while he was  detained and in custody  during the execution of  the  search  warrant  by  those who condemned Mr.  Christie for  the  "appearance"  of  some  of  the  cattle  that  had  just  arrived by truck and were unloaded.

Unfortunately,  therefore,  the "cause"  or  "conformation" of  what is  "assumed"  to  be  the  "cause"  of  their  appearance  and  poor  condition  is  left  to speculation not evidence and the photographs make for sensational news  and a "rush to judgment" on the foundation of soundbites  and bits  and pieces  of second hand reported information. The consequences of the felony charges  being  brought against Ray Christie are having  a very large  rippling  effect  on  the beef and  dairy  cattle industry,  particularly  the “organic” dairy cattle industry,  in  the entire County  of Humboldt.  Before placing judgment  on Ray  Christie, take a  look at  what  his  business  entails  as  a livestock rancher. 

Ray  Christie purchases  the majority  of  his livestock  at auction  that other ranchers won’t buy, because  of  their “undesirable” condition.   The auction  is often the “last  call” for these livestock.   These animals  have been acquired by various  means,  such as  donations,  picked up as  strays,  seized from  law  enforcement  investigations  and/or  “culled” from  herds  (eliminating the “undesirables”)  by  commercial  ranchers  because they  have been deemed no longer productive or economically viable and then placed  in  the auction.   The most common reasons for  culling  livestock in  herds  are diseases,  such as mastitis,  reproductive diseases,  diseases of the skin and hooves  and clinical lameness.

Many  other  factors  for  dairy  cows,  such as parity,  lactation stage,  reproductive performance,  health,  calving  season, milk  yield  and cow welfare, also  influence  the  decision  to  cull  a  cow.  These  cows  may also  be  severely worn-out cows,  often  called  a “leaner,” with  their bodies visibly  destroyed  by  years of  dairy production. Many of  them, it turns out, are not more than 5 or 6 years  old, though their  bodies look  ancient.  Their skin hangs loosely  on  their hip bones and  against their ribs.  They  are significantly  underweight,  emaciated  and  barely  able to  hold themselves up.

This is where Mr.  Christie comes into the picture,  taking  a  huge  financial  risk in purchasing  these “undesirables”.  Once purchased,  the livestock are then transported to  Ray  Christie’s  ranch. During transport,  animals  are exposed to environmental  stresses  including heat,  cold, humidity,  noise,  motion  and  social  regrouping.  Transportation  by  its  nature is  an unfamiliar and threatening  event  in  the  life  of  an  animal.  Transportation involves  a series  of handling and  confinement situations which are unavoidably  stressful and  can  lead  to distress, injury or  even death.   Keep in mind that    these “undesirables” are already  in poor  condition at  the auction  and unfortunately some die while being transported, which is a financial risk that Ray Christie is  willing  to  take. 

However,  the  majority  of  these  livestock  can be  “rehabilitated”, by  Ray  Christie providing them with food,  fluids,  some  basic veterinary  care,  patience  and time  (often  several  months).   There  are  many issues  and  conditions  that  come  into  play, during  the  time  that these  animals are  rehabilitated  and  during  that  time  some  of  the  animals do  not make  it.

It is Ray  Christie’s  goal to  turn  these  livestock  around  so  that they  will produce  milk  again  or provide  beef  down  the  road.    For the  last forty  (40) years Ray  Christie has  been taking a financial  risk by  buying these sick and lame livestock,  from  private parties and auctions,  and taking the time and the patience  of “rehabilitating” them to healthy  beef and dairy  cattle. 

At  this  time,  Ray  can no  longer  take the risk  of new  charges  being brought against him  if  any  livestock  should  die from  an  unknown  pre-condition  while in  his possession. There  is no  rendering  plant nor has there  been  a  rendering  plant for large  dead  animals in Humboldt County for years.  Rendering plants  can recycle a dead animal  for  pet  food and for other  uses  if the carcass  is  fresh  enough after  death.  Even if there was  a rendering plant  for large dead animals  somewhere in Humboldt County the dead  animal would  have to be found and retrieved from  the  field  where  the animal  is  located and delivered to the rendering plant within forty-eight  (48)  hours of  death  with  weather permitting  access to their  location, which is  subject of course to  the  natural and  extremely muddy conditions in the wet season. Without a rendering plant  in the County  available  to  receive  a dead cow,  assuming that  you can retrieve a  large animal  such as  a  cow  in  the  wet  conditions,  now  what do  you do with it? You cannot  sell  it  or  consume it.  That  leaves  historically   natural  and traditional  composting of the  remains  like  we  used  to  do  with  our pets.

The historical use of the open land along  the coast in Humboldt  County,  California, has been used as pasture  land for farming  and ranching, which traditionally  provided jobs in the past and contributed to what use to be a robust economy  in the area. As to  all of  the  misdemeanor charges please  understand  that Ray  Christie  is  not charged  with actual  pollution of "Waters  of the State"  from  or  while on "public property," but  instead, charged with a violation of a law  that  requires  action on his  part  to  affirmatively  allow  the "possibility" of  pollution  from  "private property" that  he either  owns  or  leases  for  grazing cattle  that  have  died  on  his  "private  property,"  no  matter  how long  they  had  been dead,  or even whether  or  not  they  were his  cattle.

Furthermore,  not  one cow  carcass  was  removed as evidence  from  these open pastures  for  examination  in  order  to  determine what  the “cause” of  death  was. The environment  which livestock normally  live in is  never  the same.  It  changes  with the weather and the seasons. The properties that are normally dry during the summer months  can be flooded in the winter  months  from  the very  heavy  winter  rains.  "Artificially" created "wetlands" creating sloughs and  other bodies of surface water on otherwise  traditional private property pasture land used for  grazing,  can be created by  closed floodgates  at  the edge of the various  private properties  separating the private property from  the  main traditional  bodies  of water.

It was discovered  by  Ray  Christie  after  he  was  arrested  and  released  on  bail that all of  the  floodgates  around  his  properties  had  been  closed  by  someone  other  than Ray  Christie, thereby  creating deep surface water  and  heavy  mud  as  a result  of the complete separation of the surface  water build  up  between  his private property  and  the main bodies of water.

Unfortunately,  the  reason  for  the  retention  of  water  on  the  private  property  side  was  not discovered by the  eleven  federal, state,  and  county agencies  that descended  upon  his property with  a  search  warrant. It  is unknown  if  the  floodgates  were  even  operable at the  time  of  his arrest. There are also Federal and State Constitutional issues  pertaining  to  the allegations  of alleged violation of law  in the Ray  Christie  case. 

The Constitutions  are designed to protect  all  of us and  are  individual rights from  government over reaching  and  abuse. An  "inalienable right" of the people is  an absolute right  of the  people guaranteed by  the "contract" between the people of  the  State  of  California and  the  creation  of  a  Constitutional government. California State Government  is  a  Constitutional  government  and its  very  existence  is  by  permission of the people through the creation of the Constitution.  This  "contract" is known as  the California State Constitution.  A  government  in  a free society  is  formed to serve its  people, not  vice  versa.   By  the "constraints" placed on the government  by  the State Constitution people are declared to be free by  their very  nature and are therefore independent  of government constraints, among which specifically includes liberty and acquiring, possessing, and protecting  their  property.  All  laws  must  be in  conformity  with the rights,  privileges,  and protections  stated  within  the  Constitution. Article I,  Section  1,  the  very  first  provision  of  the  California  State Constitution clearly  states a "Declaration  Of Rights" for all  people  in the State of  California.

It  States: "All  people are by  nature free and independent  and have  inalienable rights.  Among  these are enjoying and defending life and liberty,  acquiring,  possessing,  and protecting property,  and pursuing and obtaining  safety, happiness, and  privacy." What  I see  progressively  evolving  here  in  this State  are  powerful  interest groups involved  in promoting  environmental  extremism using  malum prohibitum vague,  overboard  laws arbitrarily  enforced by  the various governmental  agencies to oppress Constitutional  rights with the justification of those laws  to  impose  and  enforce  their  political  agendas  by  criminal prosecution and instilling fear rather  than working with the people as  a partner  to resolve problems. 

As  a result,  this  may  be the “last  call” for  the beef  and  dairy  cattle industry  here in  Humboldt County.

The Ray  Christie matter  reminds  me of  a poem  I  once read back in college many  years  ago, written  by  the  German  Lutheran  pastor  and  theologian  Martin  Niemoller,   "First  they  came ...," about  the supremacy  of the Nazi State  over  religion and the purging of the State's  chosen targets,  group  after  group  after  group  of  people.  Niemoller  originally bought  into  the  State's propaganda  supporting  the  need  for  rise  of  the  Nazi State  and  became  a  supporter of  Adolf Hitler's  rise to  power  in  targeting  groups  of  people.  The  need for  more laws  and power  to the State were justified by  the “necessity” for  more health,  safety  and welfare protection from targeted undesirable “groups”.  However,  later  he became disillusioned with the State and opposed  Hitler's Nazi State  which  led  to  his arrest. The  same  theme  applies  in  today's society with more Federal,  State,  County,  and City  government,  and their  numerous  appointed un-elected agencies,  and  their  numerous  laws,  policies,  procedures,  rules, regulations, restrictions,  codes,  ordinances  that  no one can understand and be  in compliance  with.  If found  in  violation,  the  penalties  range  from loss  of  freedom by  incarceration  along  with a combination  of  excessive  fines, penalties, assessments, taxes, fees, and  restitution. It is all about  control  of  the  individual  and  the  taking  of property  by  the all  powerful  State without just  compensation  for its own justified reasons.

Martin Niemoller’s poem  is applicable today  with modifications as follows: First,  the State came for  the cattlemen, and no one spoke out because they were not cattlemen but vegetarians,  and  those  who  were  cattlemen,  feared  reprisal to  speak  out against  the State; Then  the State came for the farmers and  dairymen,  and  no  one spoke out because they  were not  farmers  or  dairymen but  vegan,  and those who were farmers  and dairymen,  feared reprisal  to speak out  against  the State;   Then  the State came for  their  lawyers  who held up the Constitution,  and  no  one  spoke  out  because  they  were  not  lawyers  and  did  not  understand their  Constitutional  rights,  and therefore feared reprisal  to  speak out  against  the State;   Then the  State came for  the judges  who applied and enforced the Constitutional  rights  of people, and no one spoke out  because they  were not judges but  only  considered themselves uninformed lay  people,  and they  too  feared reprisal  to speak out  against  the State;   Then the State  came for  the uninformed who were conditioned to  prejudge  others  before  trial,  but  by then there was  no one left  to speak. In order  to apply  and  enforce the principles  set  forth in the Federal  and State Constitutions requires  and independent  judiciary,  a free and independent  people,  objectivity,  and intellectual  honesty  opposing  political agendas  and bias.

Can Ray Christie receive a fair  and impartial  jury  in  Humboldt  County? For  those  who feel the  need to  comment,  please  feel free  to contact me  at  cogorno@msn.com.

John R. Cogorno, Attorney  at Law"


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