While I was waiting for Courtroom 5 to open on the DA's motion on determination of attorney client conflict , I heard conversations between Gregory Kreis and other attorneys outside court. I was the only media in court. Kreis was there at 8:20 a.m. and he saw me.
Kreis was saying good morning to certain court staff and his buddies on the second floor. Kreis tried to move away from the public computer room where I was checking several cases but some of his arrogant court buddies like William Stein of Janssen Malloy didn't care. The same law firm where Patrik Griego works. Look at up the connections in my blog, search just the Rory Kalin case or the Commission on Judicial Proceedings charges and decision and see how many names from this post appear in the CJP documents. Also google Janssen Malloy special on my blog.
Stein represents one of the alleged victims. Ms. Wells represents one of the other alleged victims and according to court minutes that would be Sprague's family. Sprague is deceased and the arraignment minutes say victim in Count 2. I don't know who Stein represents but the only other alleged victim is Dixon. Why is Stein talking to Kreis who is representing Cuevas?
Stein said, "Lets see what happens" and "I don't know who he thinks he is". This was before court. Then after court, he was ranting details about the Cuevas case for everyone including potential jurors to hear and talking with Jennifer Dixon and Heidi (Holmquist) Wells. At least Heidi Wells knows to keep a poker face and not blab all over a public place, let alone while I am there. Stein has a rather high opinion if himself. No one knows who he is other than his small Humboldt lawyer bubble and there are better Humboldt civil lawyers. Attorneys who get results and don't create Jerry Springer drama at the courthouse. Attorneys people with money and influence in Humboldt hire.
I have reported on cases all over the country before coming to Humboldt. Since I came here, I have also dealt with top lawyers in their fields all over California from major cities and specialized areas such as tribal law. None of them have the arrogance or are uncouth like certain Humboldt lawyers. These other lawyers are secure in who they are; they get results. They don't get pissy about accurate coverage calling them out. They respect such reporting. They also appreciate positive accurate coverage. This unprofessional, petty plague is Humboldt specific from politics to business to the legal community and in every field and industry. Sub par, entitled people who skate by and have jobs and income because of family connections or because they are sycophants who can be controlled. I said years ago, people would hire lawyers outside Humboldt and that is happening more frequently.
Ms. Dixon filed a declaration with the Deputy District Attorney Ian Harris' motion. Two other exhibits are court minutes from a restraining order requested by Cuevas and Kreis was the judge.
If attorneys who are Kreis buddies and court insiders see me there and want to talk loudly on the second floor, then what they say is not some private conversation. Some people like Dixon, who is the President of the Humboldt Bar Association and was present in court should not be kvetching outside court. It is unprofessional, childish and conduct unbecoming. Dixon does not get to act out just because she is alleged victim. We do not know all the facts yet. All we know is a preliminary investigation by Eureka Police Department.
The fact that Humboldt Superior Court and Kreis thought this appointment is okay and they could get away with whatever they want despite the Commission on Judicial Performance decision tells you who they are.
Kreis in his arguments mentioned he disqualified himself from the selection of Commissioner. That is because his boo, his fiance (this term he used in court documents he filed in his family law case) and his now maybe wife (according to wedding photographs) or whoever Tanya Ellis is to him currently was an applicant for that position. I posted about Ellis being an applicant for Commissioner and at that time, it was known all over town that Kreis and Ellis were in a relationship. I have no idea when the status to fiance or wife changed. What is pertinent is that he left out Ellis' name in court today. Did Kreis disqualify himself before or after I posted the conflict about him being involved in the selection of applicants on the blog? We will never know because it is obvious he still has supporters in Humboldt Superior Court and Ellis is an employee. Anyone who would still associate with a man who made national headlines for misconduct he admitted to in a deal with a state agency who disciplines judges; anyone who associates with an man who resigned in disgrace and was kicked to the curb by voters has no moral character or integrity and cannot be trusted.
The motion in Cuevas was just calendared and entered in e court. I found out this morning 10 minutes before courtroom 5 opened.
The court insiders, administration, any judge, Kreis buddies and enablers, lawyers pissed at my coverage or about a motion that the DA shouldn't have to file can get over themselves. Kreis should never have been appointed to this case. They can snark, gossip, talk behind my back, post online anonymously but that does not change facts, the law or rulings.
Cuevas was in court today in a wheelchair. She seemed to know who I was when I entered the courtroom.
Judge Tsenin appeared via Zoom. Humboldt Superior Court Operations Manager Kelly Nyberg was in court which she often is for scheduling. Based on today's motion in the Cuevas case and the logostics of accomodating an out of County judge because of the entire Humboldt bench recusal. Judge Tsenin has been assigned to another criminal case Kreis has been appointed to and that will happen in all cases and the taxpayers foot the bill. All so Kreis can continue mooching off Humboldt Superior Court.
In that other case, once again the Public Defender declared conflict after arraignment and just like the Cuevas case, their buddy Kreis got appointed to that case. With any other private attorney on the "conflict panel", an out of County judge is not necessary.
Conflicts of interest exist and always have in Humboldt. They are selectively applied and anyone who challenges the status quo and abuse of power, especially an outsider. Lazy, inbred, insecure incompetent insiders who are the same group of insiders and clueless groupies have atracked Karen Paz Dominguez, Ms. Sullivan, Judge Elect April Van Dyke, me because they are pissed at truth, justice and cannot stand competition.
There was no other media in the courtroom today and no one else who wrote about the motion. Times Standard as usual followed up about Kreis' appointment and the entire bench recusal days after my post. This is of note because if you suddenly see coverage about this motion, Kreis' removal or Ms. Sullivan's appointment in anon comments or other media "coverage", pay attention to what they write. Now that I have called them out, strategy may change.
If we had other local media that did their jobs, they would do a PRA on how much money Kreis and former employees like Joe Hale have cost the local courts with Visiting and out of county judges. I could but why should I do all the work taking on "Humboldt power" while these other media sit around with more staff and a steady paycheck doing nothing. Actually, most other local media should not because NCJ's Thad is too chummy with the Public Defender's office, former DA Paul Gallegos and other Kreis enablers; Kym Kemp's freelancer Ryan Hutson works for Eric Kirk's law firm, Times-Standard seems to cover a lot of selective pro DA cases, LOCO is owned and controlled by people with several conflict of interests and they never have the guts to take any risks. If any other media did a PRA or looked into issues with the courts, it would be a milquetoast farce in reaction to my calling them out. Their five insider groupies online would fawn all over them for doing "investigative reporting." No one cares or makes decisions based on what those groupies think.
My hunch about a few things was correct.The DA's motion covered points I made. Dixon's reaction in the courtroom and what she said was revealing. All of Kreis'buddy attorneys were in courtroom like Heidi (Holmquist) Wells, Stein and Deputy Public Defender David Nims who used to work at Janssen Malloy. The reaction to Ms. Sullivan being appointed and the whisperings confirmed my suspicions.
Dixon can be pissy and so will probably a few others connected in the local courts who I won't name but have an interest in this case. Some of them are allowing their friendship with Dixon to skew their view. I know they value my reporting so let's see if the subtle change I noticed since I called out Kreis' appointment in the Cuevas case was an off day or another two faced typical Humboldt reaction.
Dixon brought up something to Deputy DA Harris in court about Ms. Sullivan's appointment in a reaction everyone saw and others may have heard. The person Dixon mentioned is Desirae Hadley, a former defense investigator who has worked with and knows many public defenders. Hadley also has conflicts with Kreis, Dixon and many in the legal community. To bring Hadley's name because she also works with Ms. Sullivan is a typical dirty Humboldt trick. Ms. Sullivan practices in several counties all over California. If there are mental health issues in Cuevas' case, Ms. Sullivan has been asked by many Humboldt attorneys to be counsel due to her success. I have my own opinion of why some Humboldt attorneys like Nims, Ben Okin have "befriended" her but she does not tell me how to do my job or who to associate with and I don't tell her what to do or who to associate with; its called independence and mutual respect.
Cuevas deserves a fair trial, not a slam dunk sham case because certain Humboldt attorneys and Humboldt court insiders want to use their position and influence in a small community to benefit them.
Kreis and his buddies are pissed that they did not get their way and use the legal system to their advantage. Why was Nims in court for Cuevas?Does he not have cases on the 8:30 calendar? Kreis at least had the sense not to act out in front of the court or me. His buddies are arrogant and stupid.
This claim that Hadley is best friends with Dixon is spread by Dixon and her supporters and all these people have connections and conflicts in the courthouse. I also happen to know that Ms. Sullivan uses other investigators and not just Hadley.
Maybe Dixon who is also on this Humboldt conflict panel and all these whiners should look into their constant conflicts in this small legal community that exist and have existed. There has never been any independent coverage or anyone who knows the players before I did this blog.
Kreis knew he couldn't deny the conflict but he tried to minimize it and failed. "I just wanted to say I agree we were colleagues" Kreis said of Dixon. "Six or seven years ago, I worked at the PD's office. I never supervised her. Mr. Brownfield was her supervisor." For new readers, Brownfield is his buddy and Kreis' co-defendant in a case Kreis settled with former Humboldt Deputy Public Defender Rory Kalin. Brownfield is the current Public Defender and Marek Reavis is the former Public Defender. Kalin has filed an appeal regarding that Humboldt Superior Court case." Just like Kreis did in the Ray Christie case with Deputy Public Defender Adrian Kamada, he tried to minimize his interactions with Dixon as "all work related social events." This is the man whose photo made national headlines partying with public defenders and the Kalin lawsuit was part of the Commission on Judicial proceedings, charges and Kreis was censured and had to resign as a judge or face removal. He is not allowed to be a California judge. Kreis then said, " he was included in the hiring decision of Commissioner but then disqalified himself because of an applicant." I already addressed this earlier in the post that Kreis left out the fact that the applicant is the woman he is in a relationship with who still worls for Humboldt Superior Court. I had to call him out on being involved that decision like I have many other conflicts including his appointment in the Cuevas case. Trying to admit it after the fact and fighting the process is what Kreis does.
Mr. Harris' motion is included in this post. Therefore I will highlight some remarks ."The law does not require an actual conflict but the appearance of a conflict." Mr. Harris spoke about the power dynamics of the Public Defender's office and Departments 7 and 6. These are juvenile and family law courtrooms and when Kreis was a judge, he heard cases on both calendars. Ms. Dixon still appears in these courtrooms and is a local attorney. "I would have to put Ms. Dixon on the stand," said Deputy DA Harris. "It is not a case of this may happen; it will happen. The law is not what he believes and feels but what outside observers see."
Judge Tsenin said, "I agree with the People. " She spoke about appearances, her own recusals as a Judge and said there is an appearance and potential of conflict with Kreis. "The court has two primary interests. One is an appearance of conflict. Two is to protect the defendant's right to proper representation."
As I write this, the hearing is over. Dixon is now talking outside the court where she knows I can hear her with Deputy Public Defender Casey Russo, another Kreis buddy and mentioned in the CJP documents.
Ms. Andrea Sullivan was appointed on 3 of Cuevas' cases. Setting of preliminary hearing scheduled as a special set for 8/16. The 8/14 date vacated.
Kreis was also there for two criminal cases for a Christopher Kinnamon. Another PD case, where that office gets appointed, they declare a conflict and Kreis gets appointed. In that case, the alleged victim has no conflict with Kreis but if the PD does, why is Kreis getting these cases when his relationships and conflicts of interest with PD were part of the CJP investigation and charges? Kreis can go be a lawyer somewhere other than Humboldt. Why is here? That is a rhetorical question.
I don't have time to look into every case Kreis has been appointed but the reaction of some of Humboldt Superior Court admin, some of the judges and Kreis' buddies tells me that there maybe scrutiny of the way things are usually done in Humboldt.
Previous posts:
https://johnchiv.blogspot.com/2024/08/da-files-declaration-in-7th-i-collision.html?m=1
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