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Posts published by “McEwen Bruce”

Courtroom Drama, 2009

On a cold dark night last winter in Fort Bragg as a chill wind whistled ashore over the chop, the cops swept into the living rooms of some of the Coast’s most conspicuous personalities, including…

Something Nice

A young woman suggested I write something nice for the holidays.

I said I'd try.

If the Key Fits

If it's action you want, Hoyle's your cop.

He's an action guy, what you call a polarizing figure, a strong personality of the old school lawman type. Thirty-three years on the thin blue line.

Lethal Lives

More and more inmates are trying to complain directly to the judges about conditions at the Mendocino County Jail. The judges tell the prisoners to go through prescribed channels, to get their complaints addressed at…

‘Murder Is Messy’

“Murder is messy,” Judge Ron Brown commented, more to himself it seemed than to the courtroom as defense attorney Katharine Elliott tried to keep a jury from seeing the death photos of Enoc Cruz, 21, when…

Escareno Trial Begins

The Marcos Escareno murder trial got underway early Monday morning, November 30th, with a Native American prayer ceremony in front of the Ukiah Courthouse. Escareno is a member of the Manchester-Point Arena band of Pomo…

He Should Have Stayed In The Deli

Apologies to Mr. Jayson Kain of Albion and Minne­sota, a bi-coastal pot person whose travails were described here last week. But something got lost in translation; Mr. Kain's “appetite” for marijuana had nothing to do…

Weed Whackers Win One

The whisper came from behind me. “How might one have an opinion on the facts witout having heard the facts?” I looked up from jotting down Judge Henderson’s opinion to see the defense lawyer smiling.…

Give Us The Dope Or We’ll Take Your Kids

Every time a judge denies a motion to suppress evidence, the judge is saying to the cop, “Good job, your methods are perfectly legal, no room for improvement; keep up the good work.” As in……

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