Re: Sutter County grand jury

I am absolutely dumbfounded that no grand jury report will be released this year. First of all, I had no idea this was even an option. That’s $50,000 of taxpayer money out the window?

I’ve heard rumor that an elected official who didn’t like the grand jury findings threatened to sue each juror personally in civil court, and another top County official confirmed to the jurors that they would have to pay to defend themselves. Crazy! If the grand jury is truly our “watchdog,” and the only group that actively looks into misconduct by public officials, how can we not indemnify them against retaliation by the public officials they investigate?

On the other side, I’ve heard rumor that the grand jury was corrupt, caught in lies and had a shredding party to destroy the evidence. This is EXTREMELY hard to believe. These are 19 random people from our community who agree to volunteer an entire year of their life, not knowing from the outset what cases they will even be investigating. They are vetted, appointed and overseen by a local judge. It is a dangerous line to cross to defame this institution. Can you imagine the morale of the new grand jury that was just sworn in?

To our Sutter County Board of Supervisors, you are our only hope for resolution, I plead that you do not let this issue die. At a minimum, you must push to release all non-controversial parts of the grand jury report. Whatever this one investigation is, there were numerous other departments reviewed, and citizens deserve to see those reports.

The board should also immediately open an independent investigation to review the rumors we are all hearing. If public officials did indeed bully and threaten these citizens, do something about it. If the grand jury was corrupt, do something about it.

Is there not even one member of the Board of Supervisors who will push to do the morally right thing? The citizens of Sutter County deserve better.

Mike Ziegenmeyer