Trial starts over demotion of former sheriff's candidate

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Trial opens in lawsuit over demotion of sheriff's candidate | carona, hunt, sheriff, department, county - News - OCRegister.com

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Trial starts over demotion of former sheriff's candidate

Ex-sheriff Mike Carona and ex-Lt. Bill Hunt were both in federal court today for start of trial in Hunt's lawsuit.

By RACHANEE SRISAVASDI
The Orange County Register


LOS ANGELES – Ex-sheriff Mike Carona and his former election rival, Bill Hunt, faced off in a federal courtroom today as testimony began in a trial of Hunt's lawsuit over his demotion by Carona.

Carona – who is expected to testify in the jury trial — briefly closed his eyes when Hunt's lawyer, Richard Levine, told jurors during opening statements that Carona was a convicted felon guilty of trying to persuade a sheriff's official to lie during a grand jury probe.

"Bill Hunt predicted the future,'' Levine told jurors. "Where there is smoke there is fire."

Carona was sentenced to 5 ½ years in prison on his January conviction for witness tampering. He is free on bail pending appeal.

Hunt was a sheriff's lieutenant when he unsuccessfully tried to unseat Carona in 2006 – a year before Carona was indicted. The campaign was heated, with Hunt accusing Carona of misdeeds and of sullying the reputation of the Sheriff's Department.

After Carona won his third term, he demoted Hunt – then the chief of police in San Clemente – to a patrol deputy because of his comments during the campaign.

Hunt decided to resign in December 2006, and then sued Carona and the county. Hunt claims Carona illegally demoted him and that his speech was protected under the First Amendment.

Carona, and the county, characterize Hunt as a policy-maker for the Sheriff's Department who didn't have First Amendment protection and was subject to either demotion or termination.

The county's attorney, Norman Watkins, told jurors that Hunt engaged in "vitriolic attacks" against Carona and the department, including calling the command staff incompetent.

"He is the face of the Orange County Sheriff's Department in the city,'' Watkins said of Hunt's influence as a manager in San Clemente. "The reputation of the Sheriff's Department sinks or swims with him."

Hunt's lawsuit seeks damages for loss of past and future earnings, as well as damages for emotional distress brought on by the "humiliating and degrading" action of Carona, according to Levine.

Hunt, who is running for sheriff again next year, briefly took the stand today. He talked about his various positions at the Sheriff's Department, and how he served as San Clemente's police chief. His testimony will resume Wednesday.

Contact the writer: (714) 834-3773 or rsrisavasdi@ocregister.com