Deliberations Begin in Trial Against Former Bell Mayor, Councilmembers
Jurors engaged in their first full day of deliberations today regarding a former Bell mayor and five council members' case for allegations of misappropriating city funds.
The charges are as follows:
- Former Mayor Oscar Hernandez - 20 counts of misapropriating public funds between January 2006 and July 2010
- Former Councilwoman Teresa Jacobo - 20 counts of misapropriating public funds between January 2006 and July 2010
- Former Councilman George Mirabal - 20 counts of misapropriating public funds between January 2006 and July 2010
- Former Councilman Victor Bello - 16 counts of misappropriation between January 2006 and December 2009
- Former Councilman Luis Artiga - 12 counts of misapprpriation between January 2008 and July 2010
The Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Kathleen Kennedy handed the case over to the jurors on Jan. 25, but they did not reach a verdict.
The prosecutor told jurors that the government, rather than the citizens of Bell, benefited from the misappropriation. He said the defendants' salaries reached six figures where the median household income was just $35,000.
Defendants are pointing the finger at former city manager Robert Rizzo who is awaiting a trial of his own for corruption-related charges. They have also asked the jury why the audits and auditors have not testified, hoping this would result in a mistrial.
Kennedy, however, told jurors that the audits and auditors were not admissible, and they should not consider that argument in their decision making.
Stanley Friedman, Hernandez's attorney, said the city attorney, city clerk, city's auditing firm, police chief and city engineer did not tell Hernandez their salaries were illegal.
