Criminal Prosecutions
Prosecutors say says McGill memo to Fleming is smoking gun
Apr 02, 2010 Filed in: McGill,
Susan
McGill is a former CUSD Assistant Superintendent who served during the James Fleming administration. In 2006, Fleming and McGill were indicted on multiple felony counts for alleged criminal behavior while serving at CUSD.
RSM Councilmenber says Fleming trustees are complict in CUSD scandals and should resign
Sep 01, 2007 Filed in: Blais, Neil
In response to the indictments and continuing problems in beleaguered CUSD, local officials from across South Orange County are now speaking out and demanding change. Blais is a Councilmember of the City of Rancho Santa Margarita.
Christensen agrees with constituents - district should not pay Fleming's criminal attorney fees
Aug 17, 2007 Filed in: Christensen,
Larry
CUSD Trustee Christensen commented after 21 individuals spoke at the August 13, 2007 CUSD board meeting in opposition to Fleming's request for criminal attorney fees (which trustee Marlene Draper brought to motion).
Bryson says denial of Fleming's criminal attorney's fees request is in district's best interest
Aug 14, 2007 Filed in: Bryson,
Anna
Bryson was elected to the CUSD Board of Trustees as one of the ABC Reform candidates in November of 2006.
Mission Viejo resident: payment of Fleming's legal fees would constitute misplaced priorities
Aug 15, 2007 Filed in: Henry,
Kelly
Kelly Henry, The Orange County
Register "When the kids start
(school), the teachers ask, 'Can you bring in
Kleenex boxes, because we don't get money for
that. It'd be ridiculous if we're paying for his
legal fees when teachers … are asking for Kleenex
boxes."
Henry is a Mission Viejo resident.
Henry is a Mission Viejo resident.
President of classified employees union: payment of Fleming's attorney's fees would be unfair
Aug 15, 2007 Filed in: Walen,
Ronda
Walen is the president of CUSD's classified employees union, and made this remark while noting that CUSD recently laid off workers.
Christensen explains board's decision not to pay Fleming's defense costs
Aug 15, 2007 Filed in: Christensen,
Larry
Christensen was elected to the CUSD Board of Trustees as one of the ABC Reform candidates in November of 2006.
Fleming refuses to testify, takes the 5th; McGill testifies, is charged with perjury
Jul 08, 2007 Filed in: Fleming,
James
Grand jury found no legitimate educational purpose for enemies lists
Jun 01, 2007 Filed in: Rackauckas,
Tony
Rackauckus is the Orange County District Attorney.
Recall Committee calls for Fleming-era trustees to resign or face recall
Jun 01, 2007 Filed in: Russell,
Tom
Russell is a CUSD parent and spokesperson for the CUSD Recall Committee and the Committee to Reform CUSD.
Additional indictments against the CUSD leadership may still be issued
Jun 01, 2007 Filed in: Rackauckas,
Tony
Rackauckus is the Orange County District Attorney.
Resources of cash-strapped district shifted from students to unlawful purposes
Jun 01, 2007 Filed in: Rackauckas,
Tony
Rackauckus is the Orange County District Attorney.
Fleming wrongdoings happened under Fleming-era trustees' watch
May 25, 2007 Filed in: Beall, Tony
Beall is the mayor of Rancho Santa Margarita and a recall leader.
Fleming indictment is vindication for reformers, who are committed to finishing the job
May 25, 2007 Filed in: Parsons,
Dana
Dana Parsons, The Los Angeles
Times "You bet they feel
vindicated. What they aren't feeling is
charitable. You could say, in fact, they're just
getting warmed up. The foes of former Capistrano
Unified School District Supt. James Fleming — yes,
the man had enemies — had reason to celebrate
Thursday, if that's the right word. They had been
loudly proclaiming in recent years that Fleming
was running a corrupt administration, and now
they've got county grand jury indictments against
Fleming and his assistant superintendent to back
them up."
Parsons is a columnist for The Los Angeles Times.
Parsons is a columnist for The Los Angeles Times.
Fleming dodges real issues in pathetic attempt to take the moral high ground
May 26, 2007 Filed in: Fleming,
James
Fleming lists achievements during his tenure, such as building campuses and winning National Blue Ribbons for high-achieving schools, and says a district-commissioned [Judge Waldrip] investigation found no laws had been broken. That report criticized Fleming for actions that were “ill-advised and imprudent.” Hey, earth to Jimbo! Those decisions may have ticked people off, but those aren't the decisions you're being prosecuted for. Just think for a minute. Could it be the years of lies, deceit, retaliation, defamation and other abuses that have finally caught up with you? It was not your "responsibility" to cross every ethical and legal line possible. And as for the district-commissioned Waldrip report, it was only a matter of time before this made-to-order whitewash would be raised as a defense. Fortunately, the District Attorney looked into the same matters, and guess what? He saw at things a little differently.
Criminal defense attorney helps Fleming play the blame game
May 26, 2007 Filed in: Brower,
Robert
Robert Brower, The Orange County
Register “In my client’s mind,
the D.A. is a political animal: He’s hearing a lot
of complaints down there … and there is political
capital to be made.”
No Fleming defense would be complete without a healthy dose of the classic Fleming blame game. Brower is former superintendent James Fleming's criminal defense attorney. Last fall, the Fleming-era trustees approved the district's payment of Fleming's criminal attorney's fees at nearly $400 per hour. Last March, the ABC reform trustees successfully brought a motion to reverse that decision.
No Fleming defense would be complete without a healthy dose of the classic Fleming blame game. Brower is former superintendent James Fleming's criminal defense attorney. Last fall, the Fleming-era trustees approved the district's payment of Fleming's criminal attorney's fees at nearly $400 per hour. Last March, the ABC reform trustees successfully brought a motion to reverse that decision.
DA charges McGill with two felonies that carry penalties of neary five years in prison
May 26, 2007 Filed in: Miller, Sam
Miller is the South County education reporter for The Orange County Register.
DA charges Fleming with three felonies that carry penalties of up to four years in prison
May 26, 2007 Filed in: Miller, Sam
Miller is the South County education reporter for The Orange County Register.
Criminal defense lawyers for Fleming and trustees will be paid from general fund
Jan 02, 2007 Filed in: Winsten,
Mike
Mike Winsten, Trabuco Canyon
News “The Trustees
unanimously approved the engagement of a $400/hour
criminal defense attorney to represent former
Superintendent James Fleming and a $395/hour
criminal defense attorney to represent themselves
in connection with the on-going criminal
investigation. These costs will come directly out
of the district’s General Fund.”
Taxpayers should not pay Draper's criminal defense lawyer fees
Jan 02, 2007 Filed in: Thompson,
Gary
Thompson is Mayor Pro Tem of the City of Rancho Santa Margarita.
Trustees hire criminal defense lawyers for Fleming and themselves
Feb 23, 2007 Filed in: Volzke,
Jonathan
Volzke is the publisher of the Capistrano Dispatch.
Trustees agreed to pay Fleming's attorney if no evidence of wrongdoing
Feb 23, 2007 Filed in: Volzke,
Jonathan
Volzke is the publisher of the Capistrano Dispatch.