John Chiv: Parties negotiating in Ray Christie case, defense has no objection to a continuance

Aug 2, 2023

Parties negotiating in Ray Christie case, defense has no objection to a continuance

On July 25, I reported that the DA filed a motion to continue the retrial of Ray Christie's 2018 case. Deputy District Attorney Roger Rees' declaration said parties are negotiating, need more time and defense counsel agrees to continuance. At this point, no one cares about this case. If you do about the outcome and the real questions that should be asked about this plea, read on.

If you have read my ongoing coverage on this 2018 case, this negotiation should come as no surprise. The plea is the best outcome. Both sides have their reasons but the silence from defense and Ray agreeing to a possible deal speaks volumes. Ray's business partner and potential witnesses don't have to take the stand. Search feature allows you to access posts about this case, Christie's business associate Mario Avelar and references to Joe Manni. Mario have you paid Open Range Beef yet?

Judge Gregory Kreis gets to take a plea and not put in any work for a trial. Anyone with knowlege of Humboldt courts is not shocked. Kreis has been pushing for a plea for months and said so in open court when he was assigned this case. Retired Judge Christopher Wilson presided over the first trial. He should have been assigned to the retrial.

Taking a chance especially with Judge Kreis assigned to the trial is even riskier than chances on a hung jury or conviction. Mr. Patrik Griego who is Kreis attorney knows Christie's attorney, Mr. Rick Richmond. Mr. Griego's law firm Janssen and Malloy has filed documents in the Christie case which is public record. Mr. Patrick Griego knows many of the public defenders. If you have been reading the coverage on the Rory Kalin lawsuit, then you know the relevance of these small county connections of people working in the local courts.

Kreis' public defender buddy, former deputy district attorney Adrian Kamada who prosecuted the first trial but couldn't get a conviction, won't have to take the stand if a plea goes through. The utter mess HCSO and the State made with this case gave defense reasonable doubt and all that gets swept under the rug with a resolution.

For the public, the legal fees racked up by Ray and potential fines are the best outcome. Since this case Ray and Avelar have continued doing business with crickets from the DA or local law enforcement doing any additional investigation. For all his blowhard huffing and puffing by Rex Bohn's and Michelle Bushnell's buddies like Justin Mora who blamed me for doing my job reporting on this case, why didn't they direct their anger at the people speaking about them and their businesses? For all the resources wasted by the Feds, the State, the County, Rex's buddy Sheriff William Honsal, Rex's bailiff buddy Travis Mendes, what exactly have they achieved except waste taxpayer dollars on a half baked case. They handed the DA a weak case which was further botched by Kamada. For all of Ray and his minions' talk about Ray taking on entrenched powers for the average person without resources, who has faced retaliation and who will benefit from the plea? Ray said he would never take a plea. Except for the medical continuances which I said would be granted, Ray lost every motion. I predicted that before every hearing.

Anyone pissed at a potential plea needs to point the finger where it belongs instead of misdirecting their anger. If you read my blog regularly and you know how Humboldt justice works, this explaination is unnecessary.

Trial confirmation and the DA's motion to continue was scheduled on 8/11. It has been rescheduled to 8/15. It will be granted because the defense has no objection. With jury trials to get out each week that keep getting postponed, Chriztie's case wouldn't have proceeded on 8/23. At this point, what is left to write about this case except the details of a plea or outcome of trial.