Post by KC on Aug 17, 2006 23:39:04 GMT -5
August 18, 2006 - A newly hired East Palo Alto police officer standing trial on misdemeanor charges of brandishing a firearm, battery, drunken driving and hit-and-run during an off-duty incident made a brief court appearance Wednesday, but will wait to enter a plea until late September.
Officer Isaac Ramos, 25, planned to plea not guilty to the charge through the court's Public Defenders program, but San Mateo County Superior Court Judge Susan Jakubowski said Ramos earned too much money to qualify for the program. She ordered him to return to court Sept. 27 for arraignment with a privately hired lawyer at his side.
Ramos remains on paid administrative leave with the Police Department, following his arrest in early July in Redwood City.
In earlier interviews, Ramos said he and his cousin were waiting in the drive-through line at the Jack in the Box restaurant on Broadway Street when a man in a car in front of them started yelling, claiming they had hit his car.
Ramos followed the man into a nearby Denny's parking lot and denied hitting his car. Ramos showed the man his police badge and said it was illegal to file a false police report.
Ramos was arrested shortly afterward by Redwood City police officers. The man, identified in court paperwork Wednesday as Jacobo Martin, told police Ramos had brandished his department-issued .40-caliber Smith & Wesson handgun at him sometime during the incident. A woman with Martin, Ana Umana, alleged battery in the case.
Both Martin and Umana could not be reached for comment Wednesday. The District Attorney's Office did not make a copy of Ramos' police report available.
Ramos said security tapes outside the restaurant would clear him of the charges.
Ramos was one of three officers hired in April and is still in his probationary employment period, where he can be fired at any time without an internal investigation.
Ramos' resume was exactly what the department was looking for - he was born and raised in East Palo Alto, speaks Spanish fluently, serves as the president of his homeowner's association and is a member of the National Guard. He served two and a half months in Iraq with the National Guard and responded to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.
Ramos will return to San Jose State University next week to continue classes in Criminal Justice, while waiting for his trial to end, he said.
East Palo Alto Police Chief Ron Davis was not available for comment Wednesday.
www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/breaking_news/15298778.htm
Officer Isaac Ramos, 25, planned to plea not guilty to the charge through the court's Public Defenders program, but San Mateo County Superior Court Judge Susan Jakubowski said Ramos earned too much money to qualify for the program. She ordered him to return to court Sept. 27 for arraignment with a privately hired lawyer at his side.
Ramos remains on paid administrative leave with the Police Department, following his arrest in early July in Redwood City.
In earlier interviews, Ramos said he and his cousin were waiting in the drive-through line at the Jack in the Box restaurant on Broadway Street when a man in a car in front of them started yelling, claiming they had hit his car.
Ramos followed the man into a nearby Denny's parking lot and denied hitting his car. Ramos showed the man his police badge and said it was illegal to file a false police report.
Ramos was arrested shortly afterward by Redwood City police officers. The man, identified in court paperwork Wednesday as Jacobo Martin, told police Ramos had brandished his department-issued .40-caliber Smith & Wesson handgun at him sometime during the incident. A woman with Martin, Ana Umana, alleged battery in the case.
Both Martin and Umana could not be reached for comment Wednesday. The District Attorney's Office did not make a copy of Ramos' police report available.
Ramos said security tapes outside the restaurant would clear him of the charges.
Ramos was one of three officers hired in April and is still in his probationary employment period, where he can be fired at any time without an internal investigation.
Ramos' resume was exactly what the department was looking for - he was born and raised in East Palo Alto, speaks Spanish fluently, serves as the president of his homeowner's association and is a member of the National Guard. He served two and a half months in Iraq with the National Guard and responded to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.
Ramos will return to San Jose State University next week to continue classes in Criminal Justice, while waiting for his trial to end, he said.
East Palo Alto Police Chief Ron Davis was not available for comment Wednesday.
www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/breaking_news/15298778.htm