Hollister
– District Attorney John Sarsfield transferred the entire
criminal caseload of his office to district attorney-elect Candice
Hooper Mancino Wednesday in his first official act following a
failed re-election bid Tuesday.
Hollister – District Attorney John Sarsfield transferred the entire criminal caseload of his office to district attorney-elect Candice Hooper Mancino Wednesday in his first official act following a failed re-election bid Tuesday.
Hooper Mancino emerged as the clear winner of the three-way district attorney primary race Tuesday, claiming more than 50 percent of the vote. Since the official polling numbers have yet to be certified, Hooper Mancino may still have to face challenger Arthur Cantu in a run-off election this November. Hooper Mancino had 3,301 votes as of press time on Wednesday, but election officials are still counting more than 3,000 late absentee and provisional ballots. It is unclear if her majority vote will hold as the remaining ballots are counted during the next few days.
Sarsfield’s decision to end his involvement with criminal prosecutions comes as members of the San Benito County Board of Supervisors and local law enforcement officials rejoice over Hooper Mancino’s apparent victory.
“I have transferred the day-to-day criminal operations to Hooper. She has been handed the entire caseload,” Sarsfield said Wednesday. “I’m going to give the people what they want.”
Hooper Mancino, who has worked under Sarsfield for the last three years as a deputy district attorney, was surprised by her ousted boss’s decision, but plans to play ball.
“I think he is trying to assist in the transition and this is part of his plan,” she said.
The decision comes as a surprise considering that Sarsfield demoted Hooper Mancino in 2004 from handling felony cases to handling only misdemeanor cases. A summary report of an investigation into the District Attorney’s office in 2004 concluded that Sarsfield’s demotion of Hooper was politically motivated.
Although unexpected, Hooper Mancino’s takeover of the district attorney’s criminal caseload proved a beacon of hope to some in the law enforcement community dissatisfied with Sarsfield’s criminal work.
“This was a huge win for all law enforcement and the criminal justice system as a whole,” said San Benito County Sheriff Curtis Hill. “This community needs to focus on eradicating drugs and gangs and it now has a prosecutor who will do just that.”
Undersheriff Pat Turturici said the mood around the Sheriff’s department was one of “renewed hope and optimism.”
“We are looking forward to working in coordination with the district attorney’s office in fighting serious crime in San Benito County,” he said.
Several San Benito County Supervisors, who have been at odds with Sarsfield since his $91,000 budget overrun in March, said they welcomed the change in leadership. Other supervisors, such as Jaime De La Cruz, have openly battled with Sarsfield since taking office in 2002.
“A change is just what this county needs when it comes to the district attorney,” said Supervisor Anthony Botelho. “We still need to deal with Mr. Sarsfield and all I can hope is that he spends his last seven months making our streets safer instead of engaging in the political vindictiveness that has marked his tenure in office.”
Supervisor Don Marcus said Hooper Mancino’s victory will signal a long-needed healing of wounds between the district attorney’s office and the board of supervisors.
“She has worked extremely hard to show and prove her ability to prosecute,” he said. “I believe she thoroughly understands the administrative and financial responsibilities of the office and if successful in the final vote count, I look forward to the opportunity of establishing a new and better working relationship with the office of the district attorney.”
In March, the board of supervisors voted 4-1 stating that it had “no confidence” in Sarsfield’s ability to perform the duties of his office. That “no confidence” vote, coupled with the board’s implementation of several budget control measures following Sarsfield’s budget-busting outside attorney cost, soured relations between the district attorney’s office and the board of supervisors for several months.
Sarsfield’s failed re-election bid could also mean the end to one of the county’s most controversial lawsuits. Sarsfield’s pending civil lawsuit against the anonymous group Los Valientes and its attorney Mike Pekin has been a hotbed of controversy since it was filed in 2004. Sarsfield alleged in the suit that the anonymous group had violated the civil rights of eight public officials and local business owners through extortion and by filing false lawsuits.
Although Sarsfield said that he plans to continue work “on several projects” during his final seven months in office, he would not confirm that the Los Valientes suit was one of those projects. During an interview with the Free Lance Editorial Board prior to the election, Sarsfield said the case was the most important issue in the county and vowed to pursue civil action against the group.
Hooper Mancino pledged during her election bid that she would hand the case off to San Benito County Counsel and end the involvement of the district attorney’s office in the lawsuit.
Pekin was jubilant Wednesday after the news of Sarsfield’s ouster was made final.
“We can count the days. This is the death rattle of (Sarsfield’s) prosecution of my law firm,” he said. “(Sarsfield) can’t find fault with anyone now, the electorate has found fault with him.”
Sarsfield’s prosecution of Pekin and the Los Valientes has cost the county more than $115,000 since 2005, which is more than the annual salary of a deputy district attorney.
Even some of those who supported challenger Arthur Cantu’s failed district attorney campaign found reason to celebrate Wednesday with news of Sarsfield’s fall from power.
“I’m mildly amused that Sarsfield went down in flames,” said former San Benito County District Attorney Harry Damkar, an outspoken Cantu supporter.
Sarsfield declined to comment on his plans after Hooper Mancino takes office in January.
Brett Rowland covers public safety for the Free Lance. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 330 or br******@fr***********.com.
