Witness Joe Cavallo- former attorney, former pal of former Sheriff Mike Carona
Yesterday, the biggest development in the federal corruption trial of ex-Orange County Sheriff Mike Carona was the fact that his co-defendant (and ex-mistress), Debra Hoffman was separated from the case. Her attorney, Silvia Torres-Guillen, made a motion that Hoffman be separated from Carona's trial on the grounds that if Carona did not testify in his own defense, she could not effectively cross-examine him in defense of her client. A valid legal point, but one wonders-as did the judge, Andrew Guilford, why didn't she bring it up before the trial started as it would have been a valid issue at that point.
At any rate, Hoffman left the defendant's table and took a place in the viewers' gallery a couple of seats from Carona's wife, Debbie, who will be tried later next year.
Today, following up on the testimony of ex-Carona friend and sleazebag Don Haidl, another ex-Carona pal and sleazebag, ex-attorney Joe Cavallo. took the witness stand to tell jurors how he arranged illegal campaign contributions to Carona's 1998 campaign for OC Sheriff. He also testified as to the relationship he had with Carona by which Sheriff Mike would refer cases to him-and get an under-the-table commission after the judgements were made.
I have previously described the shameful arrangement when OC Sheriff Brad Warner, who died from complications from a knee surgery, by which Carona persuaded his widow, who was in a hospital with cancer (she later died)to hire Cavallo to sue the hospital. According to the charges, Carona got part of the settlement as a "referral fee".
Cavallo also described another similar incident. He said Carona introduced him to the widow of Deputy Steve Parsons during a fundraiser near South Coast Plaza. Parsons died of severe brain injuries in June 2000 after a car ran a red light and struck him in Aliso Viejo. Cavallo testified that Carona introduced him as "the Sheriff's attorney". In the end, Cavallo never represented Parson's widow.
After sleazebag Cavallo finishes testifying, he will be followed by former Asst Sheriff and sleazebag, George Jaramillo.
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