"Probation is asleep at the wheel here"

Ryan Hurley gave Deputy District Attorney Trent Timm the moniker "hot shot deputy da" based on my court coverage. Mr. Timm's first  win was shortly after he started working at the Humboldt County District Attorney's office four years ago.

Prosecutors represent the People. Mr. Timm's success is your victory.

Whether it is arraignment, preliminary, a jury trial or any other hearing, Mr. Timm does an exemplary job.

Regular readers of my blog are familiar with Mr. Timm's winning record.

He has been complimented by many peers and even Visiting Judges have commented on his professionalism and knowledge of the law.

Ryan McNeil is one of the frequent offenders with a lengthy criminal history. He was sentenced yesterday.  It was only because of Mr. Timm's persistence  and command of the law that McNeil got a reality check. Mr. Timm put all of McNeil's lengthy criminal history, probation violations, drug use, violent behavior on record. I stopped counting at 32 cases in the court system.  McNeil's cases don't even fit on one screen.

Mr. Timm does not offer "cookie cutter arguments." With each case, he is specific and with McNeil, he brought up the concerns and fears public have about firearms and mass shootings. Mr. Timm made that statement in context of McNeil's criminal history and firearm charges.

Probation wanted very little supervision of McNeil. They did not want him to go to drug court. Given the limitations of the law, Mr. Timm did all he could to ensure public safety.

"After listening to Mr. Timm, I have changed my tenative decision," said Judge Cockrum.

People get frustrated with sentences but there is only so much that can be done with current California laws. It does not help when Probation recommends a slap on the wrist and Judges have discretion in sentencing. Not every Probation officer is the same. Mr. Timm's statement about "Probation is asleep at the wheel here," is very accurate about certain probation recommendations.

Probation is one part of the criminal justice system. Many factors play a role in sentencing.

Judge Cockrum called the local drug court program "the best in the County" and told McNeil it is possible to be successful.

Judge Kaleb Cockrum told McNeil, " if drug court doesn't work, we are talking about a prison case."

Instead of being grateful he isn't in prison, McNeil initially refused the drug court option.

I have been covering the courts daily for almost 5 years now. People vent on Facebook but don't want to put in the hard work of getting current, ineffective laws changed.

People also need to read and pay attention to the detailed information provided by some of us on court cases and not just type knee jerk comments based on misinformation. I thank my regular readers for taking the time to read each post and learn from the information provided.