By Emerson Drake
5/2/11
The Civil Grand Jury is supposed to be the public's opportunity to get justice when other organizations fail them, but here in Stanislaus County it has become a neutered stud, so ineffectual it's not only rendered harmless, it has become a weapon wielded by political insiders.
When a complaint involves one of their own, such as the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department, Modesto Police Department and the District Attorney's office, also known as hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil, citizens are ignored.
The only civil remedy left is to go the Civil Grand Jury.But since the early days of the Marnie Ardis ( an overseer paid and controlled by the county) led Grand Juries, it's effectiveness has gone from being a hard biting tool of the people for correcting the over sites of the system, and has been eroded into a pool of jello that even Bill Cosby would ignore.
If you bring a complaint to the CGJ (Civil Grand Jury) you get asked a question, not about the complaint but who might have sent you.
Like the old speakeasy days, a tiny door opens and asks "who sent you" if you don't say the right name, you don't get in. Up until recently, many times the complainant wouldn't even be asked to provide more detail.
The CGJ would just allow one of the "protected" individuals otherwise known as one of the good old boys to come in and explain away the problem.
Present them with video evidence taken by the Modesto Bee of state and federal laws being broken and you're asked, "why are you here."
No matter how obvious it is you you, they're more concerned about who it effects.
