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First Gallegos challenger steps up
Defense attorney Kathleen Bryson is running for Humboldt County District Attorney, according to the Times-Standard. And Bryson has experience as a prosecutor — she worked for current DA Paul Gallegos.
Bryson has also put in hours defending pot cases.
After time at the DA’s office as a deputy district attorney, she worked for the law office of Manny Daskal before recently starting her own practice.
At Daskal’s office she defended a number of marijuana cases, which, she said, has given her experience with the one of the county’s top issues.
”We keep it criminal and we keep it dangerous,” Bryson said. “We have to be very careful on how we regulate it.”
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The Humboldt Herald 
Rob Arkley’s HELP group has her listed as a supporter.
Is she arguing for legalization because that quote is a bit confusing. What care must we use in regulating the plant? You mean the care that went into regulating tobacco? Alcohol? Synthetic drugs that maim or kill people?
Bryson supported Gallegos’ 2006 re-election campaign.
Talk about out of the blue. I don’t remember hearing her talked about as a possibility. A couple of questions however.
1) Why did she leave the DA’s office?
2) That statement about pot is confusing –
”We keep it criminal and we keep it dangerous,” Bryson said. “We have to be very careful on how we regulate it.”
Does this mean she is anti-pot? Or we need to be careful how we “de-regulate it?”
Let’s legalize all crime. The criminals will be so relieved that we are no longer scapegoating them for the problems of our society.
GREAT! She is a class act.
I am taking it to mean that so far marijuana is still illegal to possess, grow etc, (other than medicinally) and therefore it stays dangerous because of peripheral crimes that go hand in hand with keeping it illegal (robberies, burglaries, etc). Therefore, regulating it in any way is a slippery slope. Anyone else wanna weigh in?
Hmmm 5:03 pm,
meaning of statement – it seems a direct statement suggesting that as long as mj is illegal, there will be a criminal element; and, that when regulation occurs to legalize or control types of uses, that regulation may create additional criminal elements if policy makers are not understanding to the underlying issues, sts.
Jeffrey Lytle
McKinleyville – 5th District
We are in agreement.
I think it should be legalized on a trial basis, say for 4 years, to look at the repercussions. The 215 thing is a failure; obviously anyone can get it for a headache or sleeplessness. It isn’t being taken seriously as a medical drug.
People shouldn’t be treated for headache or sleeplessness?
215 wasn’t about medicine, it’s about PROFIT. Easy to grow, markups that would embarrass Exxon, and it’s still illegal. Next time somebody says it has something to do with health, ask how come they make more profits than Eli Lilly. The key here is that if it’s legal, the profit shrinks, so it’s no longer worth it to buy Uzis, huge generators and rewire rentals. Add to that the money wasted on CAMP and other law enforcement (have you noticed MJ use declining in recent decades?), money wasted on prosecuting and housing those convicted, and it’s a no-brainer. Unless, of course, you’re on the gravy train.
Walt, you think Eli Lilly is all about “health”? Good Lord, man!
My point is you can say anything and get the pot you want, for any “medical” reason.
Also, in true medicine, I don’t think a person should dictate the drug they are prescribed. If I have a sleep disorder, I shouldn’t ask for a specific drug unless I am a medical expert. If I want pot, I will just say I want pot for my sleeplessness, but it doesn’t make sense as a medical reason.
In case you don’t know doctors prescribe all kinds of crazy toxic drugs for anything from mild depression to anxiety, insomnia, cramps,and other “mild” ailments.Last time I had a check up the doctor asked how I was feeling and I told him I’m under a lot of stress and he said “we can give you something for that”. He was ready to put me on a long term opiate based on 1 sentence. These drugs are the #1 drug abused and you cant imagine the scope and types of people who think it is totally acceptable to be on these drugs such as :paxil, prozac, zanax,opiates , amphetamines,and more.I think the plants that god gave us are a far safer choice for those common ailments.
Many drugs originate from plants, but it doesn’t make them harmless— but I agree with you, it is common for many physicians to overprescribe.
Originating from plants is different than plants. Cocaine is bad ,not coco leaf. If you believe in a creator then it is easy to see he/she made plants that are enjoyable and healing and that man can judge for ourself if the plant is helpful.
Is this going to be yet another comment string about pot, or can we, er, focus on the DA race?
I thought that Paul Hagen was being discussed as a candidate to run against PG. Hagen did a great job when he was focusing on prosecuting environmental and resource crimes. But … on the great Humboldt litmus test of our times, Hagen isn’t pot-friendly. Would he have a shot against PG?
Bryson’s announcement is a surprise since Hagen has long been considered the PG challenger. Hagen hasn’t officially announced.
The pot issue is going to be an issue — unless the Board of Supervisors adopt Arcata’s guidelines, which would make the DA’s guidelines mute, no?
I always liked those poppies in the Wizard of Oz. Maybe Bonnie . . .no no oh oh ah well, there it is all better now.
No, Heraldo, you misunderstood: Lilly and the others are about profits, and so is the 215 crowd (like that living treasure in Arcata who was peddling second-hand Indian food without a license. . .clearly a selfless healer, bu-a-ha-ha-ha!!) They make proggy noises, but the motive and methodology are corporate.
It is going to be different ,more than Arc.
Not to pull this back on topic, but if this is the same lawyer that appeared in a local traffic court case on behalf of a local high schooler late last year, all I can say is Yikes! If this was her – the woman I witnessed favors a long, dark blue coat – she seemed to be openly dissing the judge by (when he talked) pacing back and forth and pulling faces. She may have even rolled her eyes a time or two. In the traffic court the judge sits, literally, ten feet away and this lawyer was performing these shenanigans in front of roughly 100 people. It seemed way over the top from a laymans point of view. Maybe it works for her. Didn’t for me and definitely didn’t for this judge.
From what I read in that article, she sounds like she is pro pot.
But the pro pot people already have Gallegos. Which begs the question, why on earth should anybody support her ?
Since when do lawyers appear in traffic court for less than a DUI?
When they get talked into it – which this lawyer claimed to have been.
Do note that I am not sure this was her. The woman I saw looked like the picture. Does anyone know if she wears a long blue coat and/or paces in the courtroom?
she seemed to be openly dissing the judge by (when he talked) pacing back and forth and pulling faces.
Pulling faces?
A district attorney that specializes in pot cases? This should go over quite well in this county.
A HELP supporter? WTF??? Why on Earth would a defense attorney be a HELP supporter? Just to please Arkley to get some campaign cash?
Wow! GUYS, this elected position has absolutely nothing at all to do with Arkleys. That’s what the government rule says. Knowing how you anon blogging idiots are, you have to utilize your Arkley fetish to apply it to something that has nothing to do with these people in an effort to take them down
The government rule says voters must ignore a candidates position on the Arkleys? Please cite the code.
O6em: Yep, that is absolutely her.
Well, what I meant to say is that county officials have no control over anything Arkley proposal
Did she stick her tongue out at the judge also?
Give me a break. The three year olds are out again.
Eric: “Pulling a face” is an expression that means telegraphing your feelings by facial expression. In her case, the message communicated (at least to me)was one of impatience and disagreement.
Anon.r.Mys: Thanks for the confirmation.
H.P.: Since you weren’t there – no, she didn’t stick her tongue out. If you don’t believe me, that’s your right, but why go to with insults? Do you have nothing of substance to add to the thread?
I have no knowledge of Bryson or her competitors, but this part of the T-S article may be an intriguing glimpse of her personal ethics:
Bryson said she will be wearing pink, because it was Nicole Quigley’s favorite color, and that pink will be on her campaign signs, which will have the slogan “Justice for all” on them.
The Quigley family said they had not spoken with Bryson. ”I think it’s inappropriate for anyone to use Nicole, my daughter’s name, in any campaign unless they talked to us, her parents, first,” Ken Quigley said.
Bryson said in a later interview that the story of Nicole Quigley, who her daughter played soccer with, had an impact on many people in the county who don’t personally know the family.
”It would be inappropriate to approach Ken because he’s grieving,” Bryson said.
06em Says:
What can I say, it was late and I get so fed up with the BS comments sometimes.
You’re right, I wasn’t there, but I’ve observed enough lawyers in court to know pacing, making facial gestures, etc. are all an acceptable part of a defense and nothing out of the ordinary. If the judge had no problem with what she was doing, why should we?
I’ve talked to a couple of lawyers who have seen her work and they say she is a competant attorney who knows her stuff. No great shakes but not an embarassment either and provides her clients with a acceptable defense.
Sorry HiFi, this does not “beg the question” (look it up), but it would be great if she can split what’s left of the Gallegos vote. Hagen may not be ideal, but he’s all we’ve got.
Let the county’s crime stats tell the story. How is Gallegos REALLY doing?
I’m no fan of PG – I’ve sat on a jury and he was a disaster (not very persuasive or articulate in his presentation or in his ability to build an argument). I have no direct knowledge of how well he runs his office.
However, Bryson’s shameless exploitation of a local tragedy/felony is a big strike against her. One can argue about the number and quality of plea agreements or how the DA’s office is managed without attempting to tug on our heart strings as a campaign ploy. Everything is in pink in honor of the little girl? – see TS story today. Using this tragedy to get oneself elected is simply crass and shows a lack of judgement.
Who else is running?
Max G. Arnold, Attorney at Law? Nah- he couldn’t take the pay cut.
The Gallegos haters started the day after he won and they followed with a recall attempt three months into his first term. Several of his DDA worked to undermined his administration (including Allison Jackson who may yet enter the race) and in spite of it all, the criminal justice system is working pretty much as it should.
A “plea agreement”, just means that the defendant is willing to admit to the crime and accept the punishment. If you can get the guy sent up for 14 years for a crime that often get less then 10 years, why would want to risk a trial?
But put aside petty bullshit about “plea deals” and not being tough on small time MJ growers (Gallegos had been very hard line on the few large growers that have gotten busted), the thing that makes Gallegos different, and why he changed the very nature of Humboldt County from what it was like just ten years ago, has to do with values and fairness, and that he has demonstrated his promise to show “neither fear nor favor”, when enforcing the laws.
That includes prosecuting corporate criminals like Maxxam and even the chief of police for a wrongful death. No matter if some judge throws the case out or not, the mere fact that he was willing to prosecute sent a clear message and anyone who’s been around Humboldt County for more then a decade knows that the entire body politic here has changed. Sure it’s been to the chagrin in the Palin loving Tea Party members and to the great disappointment of the Good Old Boys, who ran things here from, well, I would guess since the time of the first timber barons.
It use to be, if you were connected, you could often avoid criminal charges (such as being driven home by a friendly LEO, rather then given a DUI) and it use to be that the EPD sometimes acted like jackbooted thugs (Gar of course deserves a lot of credit for cleaning up EPD), and the Sheriff’s Deputies were for all intent and purpose the private security for Hurwitz’s Pacific Lumber. Hell, PL use to cater them lunch when they were arresting forest defenders. And lets not forget using torture (they called it a “pain compliance technique”) to get several underaged girls to let go of their arm locks, because waiting a few hours until they would have inevitably needed to use the restroom, would have simply been unreasonable (that one btw, cost the county millions in legal fees and took years to work through the courts where the county was found guilty of violating the law. A real time saver!). The point is, LEOs now consider all the laws, when they are enforcing the law. That means not violating our legal rights under the system. You know, that thing we call liberty. The freedoms that people have fought and died to protect. We need to honor the ideals of justice and that is why Paul Gallegos has been a hero to a lot of people and his being a hero, may be why the haters, all hate him so much.
Gallegos wasn’t a hero of liberty when he prosecuted Kat Zimmerman for the “crime” of riding her bicycle from Arcata to Eureka and being violently knocked off of it by an officer. DAs who are on the side of free speech don’t prosecute non-violent protesters.
Gallegos wasn’t a hero of liberty when he let Measure M slide on to the ballot months before, only late in the election to discover the massive drafting errors (thanks to fake lawyer David Cobb) that rendered it invalid.
Gallegos wasn’t a hero of liberty when he put his stamp of approval on Measure T, and even campaigned for it, even though a federal judge tossed the entire thing out as blatantly unconstitutional at a $100,000 expense to county taxpayers.
Gallegos wasn’t a hero of liberty when he tried to sabotage independent police review by stating his office and the inept Grand Jury were all the review necessary — never mind his incompetent prosecution of Douglas and Zanotti, his failure to even touch the six other police shootings during his post-recall tenure, and his own investigator running for the job of top cop this year, undermining his office’s claim of independence.
Gallegos wasn’t a hero of liberty when he has one 215 patient after another prosecuted — see his pro-pot advocacy only extends to covering the asses of his particular grower backers, and letting their competition get prosecuted is all part of the deal.
This new challenger Bryson might prove to be another Arkley/cop shill after all, but I say the more challengers the better — if Bryson and a real progressive make it to the November ballot…(not the fake lib Paul Hagen who thinks the Eye’s Kevin Hoover deserves a free defense for his illegal snooping on behalf of the Arcata Police)…then Gallegos can be left in the dust in this first round in June as just another useful idiot who outlived his utility.
I’m not a “PG hater” – I just don’t think he’s that great of either a lawyer or administrator. He does seem like a nice, decent fellow.
However, it was just a mater of time until his campaign manager decided to chime in on this thread (four paragraphs above). Talk about a “machine” – the Gallegos machine is formidable. I pity the opponents…
Several of his DDA worked to undermined his administration (including Allison Jackson who may yet enter the race) and in spite of it all, the criminal justice system is working pretty much as it should.
And that little attitude right there is what caused my break with Salzman – he told me that there was “A MOLE in the office, leaking stories to the Times Standard.”
So his advice to Gallegos was to fire three people the next day – one, you might get “the mole” and two, you would scare the rest of them into behaving.
That was approximately march of 2003. And I ask you, two months into taking office – WHAT DID GALLEGOS HAVE TO HIDE? WHY WOULD HE FEAR A “MOLE”?
Why would he – or Salzman – even have that notion?
The people who work/worked for the DAs office worked, not for farmer, but for the PEOPLE. DA is an elected positon, and at any election, they would have a new boss. they were all big kids, they all knew that, and they accepted it.
They did all (or almost all) stand up and say they preferred Farmer over Gallegos because they knew him for what he was. they had encountered him in the courtroom, and they knew his level of (in)competence. they knew about his escapades in Del Norte County, and they had no respect for him.
Despite that, the senior Deputy District Attorneys tried to help him learn the ropes. They tried to offer him guidance. They did not like talking to the media, that is part of the DAs job, to be the interface with the reporters, the DDAs have so much on their plate they do not need to be stressed out about interviews. They were met with Gallegos’ strange brand of operation and suspicion.
Those are the facts.
It use to be, if you were connected, you could often avoid criminal charges (such as being driven home by a friendly LEO, rather then given a DUI) and it use to be that the EPD sometimes acted like jackbooted thugs…
That’s your view – and now it’s all DUI’s seem to be converted to wet reckless if touched at all – you been following the court reports in the TS? You should.
And now, it seems if you donate big bucks to the DA and put the murderer’s parents on the courthouse steps attacking his opponents, you can get “Nine felonies and a handful of misdemeanor charges… …dismissed or suspended sentence on all of them in a single day.”
And now, if you are an innocent dad whose kid walks a few steps ahead of you on a quiet street, you will get the full weight of Gallegos’ law thrown at you.
And remember this? – “The district attorney misrepresented the law and failed to provide evidence of former Eureka Police Chief David Douglas’ and Lt. Tony Zanotti’s innocence during a criminal grand jury inquiry into the 2006 shooting death of Cheri Lyn Moore, defense attorneys argued in court…” HIs misguided case against Douglas and Zanotti? Tossed.
HIs Palco case? Tossed. Tossed. Tossed by the CA Supreme Court – the justices LAUGHED as they listened to his bumper sticker slogans.
This man is no hero. But maybe if he goes back to being a defense attorney, you can hire him. I’m sure he will do a bang up job of representing you. he might even come to trial prepared.
Facts, we don’t need no stinkin’ facts.
LOL. I know ya don’t.
HP: Okay, I can accept that big facial gestures might be a valid courtroom technique in certain circumstances, but wouldn’t the purpose be to influence a jury? The only person she could hope to influence in traffic court was the judge, and he was decidedly unimpressed. She wanted community service for the youthful miscreant, and all she got from the judge was a court date.
Gallegos gets this ghosts vote. Absentee, of course.