Post by WaTcHeR on Jun 1, 2006 13:17:26 GMT -5
06.01.2006 - SANDPOINT -- A Bonner County Sheriff's deputy accused of threatening a co-worker during a dispute last year pleaded guilty Wednesday to a misdemeanor charge of disturbing the peace.
"I regret this affair got this far, your honor," Lt. John Marcel Valdez told Judge Justin Julian after entering the plea. "I've decided that probably the best course of action is this course of action to resolve the matter and get it behind me."
Julian fined Valdez $300 and ordered him to complete eight hours of anger management counseling. Valdez was also placed on probation for one year.
Judgment was withheld, which means the conviction can be wiped from Valdez's record upon successful completion of probation. No jail time was imposed, although Valdez faces up to six months behind bars if he violates the terms of his probation.
Valdez was charged following a Nov. 2, 2005, confrontation with Deputy Ottis "Britt" Hamilton at the Bonner County Jail, which Valdez supervised at the time. Valdez, according to a Sandpoint Police investigation, repeatedly challenged Hamilton to fight and warned he would "break every bone" in Hamilton's body.
Hamilton briefly addressed the court on Wednesday and expressed relief the case was being resolved after almost seven months.
"I'm glad today has come and that it's over," Hamilton said, adding that he hopes the resolution will also bring closure for the sheriff's office and the people that work there.
Valdez's plea circumvented a trial, so it's not at all clear what caused the disagreement with Hamilton. After the brief hearing, Hamilton speculated it had something to do with the fact that he and Valdez were separately trying to arrange the transfer of the same high-risk inmate to another facility.
Hamilton said he advised the sheriff's administration of the incident, but got no response.
"We felt that to get resolution on it, we'd have to go to the city," Hamilton said, who explained that the point of the effort was to bring an end to hostile working conditions at the office.
Prior to the hearing, Valdez said he wanted to speak publicly about the case, but that he might not be able to. Afterward, Valdez said he could not comment and referred inquiries to his attorney, Joseph Horras.
Horras was reportedly en route back to Boise and could not be reached for comment.
In court, Horras recommended a small fine and community service in lieu of jail time. Horras also pointed out Valdez had been smeared by the newspaper and radio reports of allegations raised in court documents that Valdez had threatened co-workers in the past. Horras rejected those allegations as "false" and "erroneous."
"There certainly will be other possible consequences for Mr. Valdez on this plea of guilty, but he certainly does want to get it behind him," Horras said.
Sandpoint Prosecutor Lori Meulenberg offered the court no sentence recommendations.
Sheriff Elaine Savage restricted her comments Wednesday to Valdez's employment status. She said he remains on active duty and an internal investigation is pending now that the criminal matter has run its course.
The Valdez case has raised questions about equitable treatment of sheriff's office employees. Some deputies have been fired for violating office policy, while Valdez hasn't missed a day of work even though he was the subject of criminal proceedings.
At least one resident came to Wednesday's hearing to relish Valdez's predicament. Eldon Taylor claims Valdez has harassed people with impunity for quite some time.
"He's a rouge cop; he always has been and still is," Taylor said.
"I regret this affair got this far, your honor," Lt. John Marcel Valdez told Judge Justin Julian after entering the plea. "I've decided that probably the best course of action is this course of action to resolve the matter and get it behind me."
Julian fined Valdez $300 and ordered him to complete eight hours of anger management counseling. Valdez was also placed on probation for one year.
Judgment was withheld, which means the conviction can be wiped from Valdez's record upon successful completion of probation. No jail time was imposed, although Valdez faces up to six months behind bars if he violates the terms of his probation.
Valdez was charged following a Nov. 2, 2005, confrontation with Deputy Ottis "Britt" Hamilton at the Bonner County Jail, which Valdez supervised at the time. Valdez, according to a Sandpoint Police investigation, repeatedly challenged Hamilton to fight and warned he would "break every bone" in Hamilton's body.
Hamilton briefly addressed the court on Wednesday and expressed relief the case was being resolved after almost seven months.
"I'm glad today has come and that it's over," Hamilton said, adding that he hopes the resolution will also bring closure for the sheriff's office and the people that work there.
Valdez's plea circumvented a trial, so it's not at all clear what caused the disagreement with Hamilton. After the brief hearing, Hamilton speculated it had something to do with the fact that he and Valdez were separately trying to arrange the transfer of the same high-risk inmate to another facility.
Hamilton said he advised the sheriff's administration of the incident, but got no response.
"We felt that to get resolution on it, we'd have to go to the city," Hamilton said, who explained that the point of the effort was to bring an end to hostile working conditions at the office.
Prior to the hearing, Valdez said he wanted to speak publicly about the case, but that he might not be able to. Afterward, Valdez said he could not comment and referred inquiries to his attorney, Joseph Horras.
Horras was reportedly en route back to Boise and could not be reached for comment.
In court, Horras recommended a small fine and community service in lieu of jail time. Horras also pointed out Valdez had been smeared by the newspaper and radio reports of allegations raised in court documents that Valdez had threatened co-workers in the past. Horras rejected those allegations as "false" and "erroneous."
"There certainly will be other possible consequences for Mr. Valdez on this plea of guilty, but he certainly does want to get it behind him," Horras said.
Sandpoint Prosecutor Lori Meulenberg offered the court no sentence recommendations.
Sheriff Elaine Savage restricted her comments Wednesday to Valdez's employment status. She said he remains on active duty and an internal investigation is pending now that the criminal matter has run its course.
The Valdez case has raised questions about equitable treatment of sheriff's office employees. Some deputies have been fired for violating office policy, while Valdez hasn't missed a day of work even though he was the subject of criminal proceedings.
At least one resident came to Wednesday's hearing to relish Valdez's predicament. Eldon Taylor claims Valdez has harassed people with impunity for quite some time.
"He's a rouge cop; he always has been and still is," Taylor said.