Humboldt clerk DUI case dismissed days before trial; Public Defender's office assigns one of their most experienced attorneys for a misdemeanor?

 

Yesterday was trial confirmation for Humboldt Superior Court Deputy Clerk Annisha Harris' DUI case. I saw her sitting in court. Retired Humboldt Superior Court Judge John Feeney is in Courtroom 2 this week.

With all the cases on yesterday, I checked the court minutes which just said case was dismissed.

I checked with Deputy District Attorney Andrew Truitt and he said, "for insufficient evidence."

There was enough to arrest her and charge her but suddenly at trial confirmation, with a jury trial scheduled on 6/15, the case goes away?

Since when does the Public Defender's office assign an experienced attorney usually handling rape and homicide cases; Deputy Public Defender Ben McLaughlin for a misdemeanor? 

These are the two posts I did on her case.

https://johnchiv.blogspot.com/2026/05/public-defender-appointed-in-humboldt.html?m=1

https://johnchiv.blogspot.com/2026/03/da-charges-humboldt-deputy-clerk.html?m=1

At the Humboldt courthouse, everyone talks about everyone else's business. I am not going to repeat what they said about Annisha when she was arrested and before this dismissal because I have no idea if that is true, lies or gossip. Did she learn her lesson after her DUI arrest? Only time will tell.

She has spoken to me directly about drinking and invited me once for drinks which I declined. I have written about this in one of my many posts about the Courthouse. I did not name her in that post.

https://johnchiv.blogspot.com/2026/04/this-is-kind-of-unecessary-filing.html?m=1

I don't think any case involving anyone working for Humboldt Superior Court or in Humboldt Superior Court should be heard in Humboldt County.