Ridley-Thomas’ attorneys say that during the March trial there were multiple instances of prosecutorial misconduct, a lack of proper jury instructions and misstatements of the law that ultimately deprived 68-year-old Ridley-Thomas of his right to a fair trial.
Ridley-Thomas is facing the prospect of years in prison after being convicted March 30 on single counts of conspiracy, bribery, honest services mail fraud and four counts of honest services wire fraud, stemming from his time serving on the county Board of Supervisors. Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 21.
“The government did not present at trial overwhelming evidence of Dr. Ridley-Thomas’ guilt,” defense attorneys wrote in a motion for a new trial, which was filed Monday, May 1, along with a motion for a judgment of acquittal. “And, with respect to key elements of each of the crimes charged … the government presented no evidence at all.”
The defense points in particular to the testimony of FBI Special Agent Brian Adkins, the government’s chief case investigator, who spent three days on the stand touching on nearly every factual issue presented. “Agent Adkins’ testimony was tainted by improper questioning and the government’s refusal to correct his false statements under oath,” defense attorneys allege. “During trial, Agent Adkins made at least three false statements during his testimony. One false statement concerned his statement that he had reviewed all 400,000 documents produced in the case.”
On cross-examination, however, Adkins admitted that he or another agent would have reviewed the documents — “but he did not know whether the documents he had not reviewed had been reviewed by another agent,” according to the motion. Adkins’ testimony “was not limited to the facts. He impermissibly opined both on the law and on Dr. Ridley-Thomas’ guilt, and he did so at the prompting of the government,” according to the motion, which contends that much of the agent’s testimony involved mere “speculation.”
A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office had no immediate comment on the defense motions. Prosecutors are expected to respond in court filings by May 22, and a hearing is set on June 26 to discuss the motions. Jurors, who reached their verdict on their fifth day of deliberations, acquitted Ridley-Thomas of a dozen fraud counts. The charges stemmed from what prosecutors called a quid pro quo arrangement between Ridley-Thomas and a former head of the USC School of Social Work, with the politician accused of steering county contracts toward the school in exchange for benefits provided to Ridley-Thomas’ son, former Assemblyman Sebastian Ridley-Thomas. A juror who spoke after the verdicts were announced said the panel found “dishonesty” in Ridley-Thomas’ actions involving a $100,000 transfer of funds that traveled from his campaign fund to USC, then to the United Ways of California, and finally to the politician’s son’s nonprofit think tank.
The juror said the $100,000 transfer gave the panel “evidence for bribery,” allowing for a finding of guilty on the charge of bribery involving programs receiving federal funds. But defense attorneys argued that there was no bribery. The money was channeled from father to son in such a way to avoid the appearance of “nepotism,” Ridley-Thomas’ attorneys argued, and there was no benefit to the USC dean as a result.
“Notably, the government presented no county testimony concerning Dr. Ridley-Thomas’ support for and actions with respect to the county agenda items at issue,” defense attorneys wrote.
“No witness testified that Dr. Ridley-Thomas pressured them into taking action on these items, and no witness testified that Dr. Ridley-Thomas pressured them with respect to the $100,000 donation from his ballot committee to USC or the $100,000 donation from USC to United Ways. The government presented no evidence that Dr. Ridley-Thomas was obligated by ethical or fiduciary duty — or by law — to disclose to United Ways that his ballot committee had also donated $100,000 to USC.” During deliberations, the panel asked nearly a dozen questions of the court.
Ridley-Thomas has vehemently denied any wrongdoing. He did not testify in his own defense, but his attorneys argued throughout the trial that nothing he did amounted to a crime.
Prosecutors alleged that the longtime local politician, while serving as a county supervisor, “put his hand out” and accepted perks from USC to benefit his son. Federal prosecutors based their case on a long string of emails and letters to bolster allegations that Ridley-Thomas and the former dean of the USC School of Social Work, Marilyn Flynn, had a quid pro quo arrangement during 2017 and 2018 in which the then-dean arranged for Sebastian’s admission to USC, a full-tuition scholarship and a paid professorship in exchange for his father’s support for county proposals that would ostensibly shore up the school’s shoddy financial picture and save Flynn’s job.
However, defense attorney Daralyn Durie countered that nothing Ridley-Thomas did was illegal, and a series of defense witnesses testified that the “paper trail” was not what it seemed.
Flynn, 84, pleaded guilty in September to one count of bribery, admitting that she agreed to disguise and funnel $100,000 from the then-supervisor to USC, then to United Ways of California, which ultimately passed the money on to a nonprofit run by Sebastian. The longtime dean of the USC School of Social Work, who departed in 2018, is scheduled to be sentenced on June 26, the same date as the motions hearing.
Previous related stories:
Former LACo Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas facing years in prison after corruption conviction
Jurors hear opening statements in Ridley-Thomas corruption trial
Mark Ridley-Thomas sues to restore pay after suspension
Former LACo Supervisor Ridley-Thomas criminal trial moved to November
August trial date set in Ridley-Thomas corruption case
Mark Ridley-Thomas, ex-USC dean indicted in alleged bribery scheme
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Joe mama says
Dr. Ridley let’s see ( honorary doctorate from USC) I wonder how many contracts and dollars he funneled into who knows where to receive a Affirmative Action Doctorate ,maybe a doctorate in George Soros nutsackology, leading the world leftwing lunacy , 3rd world technology and making everyone poor, hey but we will all have medical !!! Can a honkey get a sigmoidoscopy instead of shiting in a cup and sending it through the mail ???
Procedural Error says
Still guilty.
Fredsie says
Prosecute them all!!!