Birgit Fladager

Birgit Fladager is the current incumbent District Attorney of Stanislaus County, California. She was elected in June, 2006 and re-elected in 2010 and 2014. In each of those years, she got more than 50% of the vote in the primary election. She did not in 2018 and is running against Deputy District Attorney John R. Mayne in the general election.[1]

Birgit Fladager
Stanislaus County District Attorney
Assumed office
July 11, 2006
Preceded byJim Brazelton
Personal details
Alma materMcGeorge School of Law
WebsiteOfficial website

Career

Birgit Fladager is the first elected female district attorney of Stanislaus County, California.[2] One of Fladager's earliest national appearances was on an episode of Forensic Files about the murder of a teenage girl by her stepfather Douglas Mouser.[3] Fladager was the deputy district attorney on the Douglas Mouser case and helped convict him.[3]

Fladager made national headlines as one of the attorneys on prosecution team for Scott Peterson, who was convicted in 2004 for murdering his pregnant wife, Laci Peterson.[4][5][6] Fladager was later in the news again for not retrying corruption charages against the Modesto mayor Carmen Sabatino (in 2006)[7] and saying she would retry George Souliotes for murder in 2013, before settling the case for involuntary manslaughter.[8]

Fladager was found to have not committed retaliation against former prosecutor Douglas Maner (Fladager's former employee).[9] During depositions in that case, Fladager admitted reducing a prosecutor's suspension for driving under the influence from 45 days to 10 days and said the public was unlikely to ever find out about the change in discipline.[10] In 2018, there was controversy about an admission that Fladager made when saying that she did not want senior attorneys to tell rookie attorneys that the defendants they were prosecuting were innocent, even when true.[11]

Frank Carson Case

Prominent Modesto attorney Frank Carson and many others were arrested in August 2015 for the murder of Korey Kaufman, believed to be a petty thief who stole from Carson.[12]

Carson ran against Fladager for District Attorney in 2014.[13] A preliminary hearing went 18 months, breaking the record for preliminary hearing length. The record was formerly held by the McMartin Preschool case.[14]

Charged Defendants and outcomes as of October 18, 2018:[15]

Frank Carson: Charged with first degree murder with special circumstance of lying in wait, conspiracy to commit obstruction of justice, . Released on own recognizance due to evidence handling failures. Currently on trial for murder.[15][16][17]

Georgia DeFelippo, Carson's wife: Charged with first degree murder with special circumstance of lying in wait. Case was thrown out by court for lack of probable cause in 2017. Has made a claim for vindictive prosecution.[15][18]

Christina DeFelippo, Carson's wife's daughter: Charged with first degree murder with special circumstances of lying in wait. Case was thrown out by court for lack of probable cause in 2017. She has made a claim for vindictive prosecution against Stanislaus County.[15][18]

CHP Officer Walter Wells: Charged with first degree murder with special circumstances of lying in wait and conspiracy to obstruct justice. Murder charge was thrown out by court for lack of probable cause in 2017. Currently set for October 19, 2018 to set trial [15][19]

Daljit Atwal: Charged with first degree murder with special circumstance of lying in wait, conspiracy to commit obstruction of justice. Released on own recognizance due to evidence handling failures. Currently on trial.[15][16][17]

Baljit Atwal: Charged with first degree murder with special circumstances of lying in wait, as well as conspiracy to commit obstruction of justice. Released on own recognizance due to evidence handling failures. Currently on trial.[15][16][17]

Robert Lee Woody: Confessed killer of Kauffman. He was initially the only person charged with murder. He made a plea agreement with prosecutors that he would receive seven years four months in prison to testify against the others.[15][20]

Charged with lesser crimes:

Eduardo Quintanar, CHP officer: Charged with conspiracy to obstruct justice and accessory to murder. Case thrown out by judge for lack of probable cause.[15][21]

Scott McFarlane, CHP officer: Charged with conspiracy to obstruct justice and accessory to murder. Case was thrown out by judge for lack of probable cause, prosecution refiled case. Case is still pending.[15][22]

Most recent results:

Georgia DeFilippo not held to answer in preliminary hearing had paid $450,000 cash in bail money to get out of jail.

Christine DeFilippo not held to answer in the preliminary hearing.

Eduardo Quntanar not held to answer in preliminary hearing.

Frank Carson acquitted of all charges after an 18 month trial and the jury deliberated less than two days.

Bobby Atwal acquitted of all charges after an 18 month trial and the jury deliberated less two days.

Daljit Atwal acquitted after an 18 month trial and the jury deliberated less than two days.

Scott McFarlane had his charges dropped for the second time thus ending any of his cases.

Walter Wells still facing charges of conspiracy in a crime that the jury acquitted above.

Charges dismissed against Walter Wells on 12/27/2019. No remaining defendants and no convictions. (Source dawgonnit.com)

Electoral history

Stanislaus County, California District Attorney

In 2018, Fladager was challenged by Mayne, Patrick Kolasinski, and Stephen O'Connor in the District Attorney race.[23] Fladager and Mayne are in a runoff.

References
  1. "Stanislaus County Voter Guide" (PDF).
  2. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2018-02-27. Retrieved 2018-11-07.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. "Woman claimed to be victim of storm to get aid from Red Cross". Modesto Bee. Modesto Bee. Archived from the original on 10 November 2005. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  4. "Sharon Rocha Goes 'On the Record'". Fox News. Fox News. 25 March 2015. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  5. "Scott Peterson Prosecutors Speak Out on Upcoming Datline".
  6. "THE PETERSON TRIAL / Observers praise officer's testimony / 8 days on stand provide overview of prosecution's case". SF Gate. SF Gate. October 2004. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  7. "Corruption charges against ex-Modesto mayor dropped". SF Gate. SF Gate. 12 July 2006. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  8. "Former Modesto landlord is free after 16 years in prison". modbee. Retrieved 2018-10-18.
  9. "Political retaliation lawsuit against Stanislaus DA's Office thrown out". Modesto Bee. Modesto Bee. Retrieved 25 August 2018.
  10. "Ex-senior prosecutor airs Stanislaus County DA's Office dirty laundry". modbee. Retrieved 2018-10-18.
  11. "BIRGIT FLADAGER INSISTS PROSECUTORS PUT INNOCENT DEFENDANTS ON TRIAL FOR THE EXPERIENCE……". Dawgonnit-Dawg's Blog. 2018-05-16. Retrieved 2018-10-18.
  12. "BREAKING NEWS UPDATE: Prominent Modesto defense attorney Frank Carson arrested on suspicion of murder, 3 CHP officers also arrested in connection with case". fresnobee. Retrieved 2018-10-18.
  13. "June 3, 2014 Stanislaus County election results".
  14. "Carson, two others to stand trial for murder; two defendants not charged". modbee. Retrieved 2018-10-18.
  15. "Complaint via Modesto Bee". Archived from the original on 2017-10-19.
  16. "Dawgonnit-Dawg's Blog". Dawgonnit-Dawg's Blog. Retrieved 2018-10-18.
  17. "Upbeat Carson glad to be out of jail, says he'll be vindicated". modbee. Retrieved 2018-10-18.
  18. "Carson's wife says she, daughter were wronged. Now, they want county, cities to pay". modbee. Retrieved 2018-10-18.
  19. "Stanislaus County Superior Court".
  20. "Defendant gets plea deal for testimony in Korey Kauffman murder case". modbee. Retrieved 2018-10-18.
  21. "Cleared ex-CHP officer says District Attorney's 'witch hunt' ruined his career". modbee. Retrieved 2018-10-18.
  22. "Ex-CHP officer accused in Turlock murder case free to go. Then, DA filed new charge". modbee. Retrieved 2018-10-18.
  23. "District Attorney Birgit Fladager will have competition in 2018 election". Modesto Bee. Modesto Bee. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
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