Papering the Judge

Last week, Orange County Superior Court Judge Thomas Goethals issued a stinging rebuke to the Orange County District Attorney's office by removing them from a prominent mass murder case, citing a litany of issues including deputies who lied under oath, a misuse of jailhouse informants, and other general incompetence. DA Tony Rackauckas denies any willful mistakes, yet his office's response has been telling: since February of last year the OCDA has requested that Goethals be disqualified from their cases an astounding 57 times, arguing Goethals is prejudiced against them. It's a tactic called papering, and while the OC DA denies such allegations, their reputation for seeking vengeance on political enemies is well known in OC political circles. Will the DA paper Goethals into an early retirement or will the judge have the final say?