By Emerson Drake
8/23/11
A member of our investigative reporting team was sitting in the courtroom Tuesday morning when Judge Linda McFadden said, "lets go onto the Huskey case." She was referring to Alfred "Chip" Huskey, a convicted child molester who was supposed to be present for his probation violation hearing Tuesday morning. Then Judge Linda McFadden said " is he here?" Chip Huskey's defense attorney said "he's in custody."
Judge McFadden then said "He's in custody, excused. " We'll see him on the 29th."
But the facts don't support this statement. The shameful truth is Chip Huskey wasn't and isn't in custody. There is no documentation anywhere saying Huskey is in the downtown jail, the safety center or at the Honor Farm. "In custody" for an individual who has violated his probation does not include an ankle bracelet at his home.
Judge, you should be asking yourself the same question every single Stanislaus County resident is asking:
Why did the defense attorney lie to you, and why did the Assistant District Attorney go along with it?
Chip Huskey, a former member of law enforcement, received a lenient sentence previously unheard of in Stanislaus County. He was sentenced to less than a year in jail and NOT required to register as a sex offender on his release. While no "official" reason has ever been given, he has been named as "witness X" in the Craig Prescott case. In the Prescott case his statements are necessary to support dubious testimony that Sheriff's Deputies have given as to the manner in which Craig Prescott was brutally killed.
Judge McFadden, you should summon the attorneys involved in Tuesday's performance and get to the truth of what you were told.
Do we or don't we have equal justice in Stanislaus County? The public is waiting for your answer.
