J.A.I.L. News
Journal
______________________________________________________
Los Angeles,
California
July 3, 2022
Why Grand Juries Do Not
Work
(By Ron Branson - J.A.I.L. Founder &
CIC)
The other day, while sitting in a restaurant,
Barbie said to me, "Look, someone left a newspaper," and she handed me
the Sunday Los Angeles Times. As I took it, out fell a center section
entitled, "Civil Grand Jury - Los Angeles County 2003-2004. Final
Report - June 24, 2004." Ironically, this "Final Report" is
only published once a year, and here it was in my hand as if the
Lord wanted me to see it. I left the entire paper at the
restaurant and took only this report. I already knew I had in my hands
the makin's for a very good J.A.I.L. News Journal.
I should give a little background about myself.
Going back to the early 80's I have had a keen interest
in the Los Angeles County Grand Jury. Due to
certain connections I had within the Los Angeles County District
Attorney's Office, I was invited before the Los Angeles County Grand
Jury by the Jury Foreman. I brought educational
books and materials that I deemed knowledgeable for them to read.
Armed with person knowledge, I can speak about the Los Angeles
County Grand Jury independent of this Report.
My intent of writing here is to address Grand
Jury operations across the country, as their operations are generally
the same nationwide. I realize that while here speaking about the Los
Angeles County Grand, some may say that this is not the way our Grand
Jury works. I have no problem with that, but I can tell you that
most all Grand Juries are more similar than most people will
ever care to admit.
This Report opens with a words from the
current past Grand Jury Foreman addressing all the residents of
the County of Los Angeles. I here cite to only a few words.
"The 2003-2004 Los Angeles County Civil Grand
Jury is pleased to present its Final Report for your review....
My thanks to the other members of the jury for making my job as
foreperson easier by virtue of their willingness to overcome personal
desires and work for the common good. The Civil Grand Jury would
like to thank Judge David Wesley, Supervising Judge of the Criminal
Division of the Superior Court, for his guidance in our endeavors and
Judge Terry Green, the Assistant Supervising Judge, who acted in Judge
Wesley's stead when necessary."
This Report then goes on to praise various other
political figures within government, "Our thanks to the Board of
Supervisors, County officers, and departments and representatives of
all government agencies ..."
This Report is signed by the out-going
foreperson, William A. Sullivan.
Following the foreperson's comments is a "Message
From The Court, by Judge David Wesley." I quote from Judge
Wesley, "The Civil Grand Jury is the only truly independent
investigative body in Los Angeles County." But what follows shows
this Civil Grand Jury is anything but independent. Judge
Wesley tells us, "The Superior Court Judges will review the
applications of [Grand Jury] candidates and select potential grand
jurors." He also tells us, "Of the 23 grand jurors selected, one
person with leadership and organizational skills is designated as
foreperson by the presiding judge..." Within the Report we are told,
"The Supervising Judge also oversees the activities of the Civil Grand
Jury..." and, "Each year prior to March 1st every Superior Court Judge
may nominate two persons deemed qualified to serve as Civil Grand
Jurors. .... These individuals are investigated by the Sheriff's
Department."
Ah, we now have learned that the Los Angeles
County Civil Grand Jury is hand-picked by the judges, their
foreperson is selected by the presiding judge, and the Supervising
Judge oversees the Grand Jury. Yes, folks, it is judges both coming and
going when it comes to the Grand Jury. It is virtually a
hand-picked committee by the judges, for the judges, and of the judges,
and they even oversee it. But hang on to your hats, there is more
shocking news forthcoming about these judges before I lower the
boom in this Report.) I'm saving the best for last.
We all know that Grand Jurors are autonomous,
that is, they can think for themselves, act for themselves, and
they can follow corruption no matter where it goes - right? There
is no one within their territorial jurisdiction that is beyond their
reach. At least that is what we have thought. But wait a
minute. We are told in this report, "The Civil Grand Jury cannot
investigate the Judiciary." What's that? Judges are the only branch of
government within its territorial jurisdiction that is off-limits
to them. Let me quote that again, "The Civil Grand Jury cannot
investigate the Judiciary." Notwithstanding anything these
judges do, this Grand Jury cannot investigate them, for
they have no jurisdiction, and these judges enjoy immunity
regardless of how corrupt they become.
Now this brings me to one of
my occasions years ago in which I filed an
affidavit with the Los Angeles County Grand Jury supporting
probable cause for violations of the California Penal Code. I received
a letter back from the County Grand Jury stating that they did not have
jurisdiction to investigate judges. They advised me to take the matter
to the Commission on Judicial Performance. (This was back in the early
nineties when the County Grand Jury, as has been for the last 100
years, handled both civil and criminal matters. It was split between
Civil and Criminal in the year 2000-01.)
Over the years, I have had many experiences in
dealing with the Commission on Judicial Performance (CJP). It is a
total sham and a front organization to cover for
miscreant judges. I have even had the CJP tell me that they
do not deal with criminal matters when I brought acts of criminal
conduct to them. I have taken matters from the Commission, who told
me they had no jurisdiction, directly to the State Attorney
General's Office, only to have then agree that I had a sound criminal
act by the judge complained of, but then later they closed me out and
even refused to talk to me. One AG Deputy told me in the
elevator, "Mr. Branson, you want us to go after these judges. We
cannot do that. We are their attorneys. We want to keep in their good
graces with these judges because we bring actions on behalf of the
state into their courts, and we want them to rule in our favor. And
here you are asking us to prosecute them."
Now let's recap what we have just
learned. The Los Angeles County Grand Jury has no jurisdiction
over judges, we must take complaints against judges to the CJP.
The CJP tells us they do not have jurisdiction over criminal acts
of judges, we must go to the State Attorney General.
The Attorney General tells us they have a conflict of
interest, and will not prosecute. But wait a minute, haven't we all
heard, "No one is above the law!" I am sorry to have to
disappoint you, but I am here to tell you by
personal experience, judges are indeed free to violated the
law with impunity.
Yes, folks, we do actually have a
government; "Of the Judges, By the Judges, and For the Judges" from top
to bottom, and in every area. I've been everywhere within the
government to call judges to account, including Congress multiple
times. And even if you go after them civilly, which I have done
numerous times, they will always be dismissed on "judicial
immunity." You just cannot sue them, and that is so even if what they
did was in complete absence of all jurisdiction. I know, I know,
some are going to write me and say, "Ron, here is what the law
says, and it says they have no immunity if what they did
was outside and beyond their jurisdiction. Yes, so it does say. But
just try to get another judge to enforce it. And why should he? He
enjoys full and complete immunity himself, and he likes it, and wants
to keep it that way. If he rules against his fellow judge,
then he will be ruled against when he is sued. Judges protect their
Club jealously. "I'll cover your assets, and you cover mine." I have
gone through the gamut many times, folks. Please don't tell me
what the law says. I stand by my statement that judges are
absolutely above the law both criminally and civilly by
practice. (I emphasize "by practice.")
And now, for the exciting conclusion of this
Report. I said that I was saving the best part until last. Here we
go. Let's see how many of you are sharp enough to figure out where I
are going with this. I will even give you a clue. We have already
established that judges are entirely immune from investigation by
this Grand Jury, so now lets turn to the complaints that have been
submitted to the Grand Jury over the past year of 2003-2004. Besides
"Miscellaneous," guess who gets the grand prize for the most number of
complaints generated. If you have not already guessed, yes, it is the
judiciary. Most complaints filed before the Los Angeles
County Grand Jury are about Judges. 13% of the complaints to this Grand
Jury is asking for an investigation of the judges, and that is
more than cops, than jails, than politicians, than the medical
industry, more than anything else. That tells us something is wrong
with this picture.
But is it not the
Judges who hand-pick the Grand Jury, who select their
foreperson, who oversees them, and who are immune
from investigation. Based upon these statistics, it is the judges
who are the most in need of investigation, who are the most in need of
accountable, who are the most secretive, and who are the most likely to
be corrupt.
So, back to my title, "Why Grand Juries Do Not
Work." It is so easy to see why J.A.I.L., with its safeguards that are
just the opposite of most all the concepts that operate County
Grand Juries, will totally upset the apple cart of the entire
system when passed, for it will create a shining example of what a
Grand Jury aught to be doing, and it will surely influence all
Grand Juries throughout this nation, dictating that changes must
be forthcoming. And when that happens, all governments everywhere will
flea for cover or take early retirement, for they will see the dark
storm-clouds rolling with its threatening bolts of
lightening. As we have said many times, "J.A.I.L. is the only
answer!"
J.A.I.L.- Judicial Accountability Initiative Law -
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