Mark’s Soap Box

Yes, another “new” attorney. Seems she collects them. Most criminals do, I suppose. Oh and he has decided that she “may” give a formal statement … after he sees the ‘video tape’ — read after her attorney makes sure she is not lying or can be caught in a lie — , and after they review ‘certain things’. Sounds like a “defense” is being prepared. Hmmm.

“News” people to the rescue

… or it’s the video dummy. Or not. Station Manager decides he needs some face time on local media.

News 8 reported yesterday that David Gotfredson, one of its producers, was shown a surveillance video taken the night of the shooting from a nearby Shell station. Gotfredson said five shots “fairly evenly spaced out” can be heard on the video, which was played by the gas station’s manager.

“It appears Rachel Silva starts backing up her car at about the same time the gunfire rings out,” Gotfredson said.

Silva, who has two previous DUI convictions, was driving on a suspended license at the time of the shooting. She was unarmed.

“She was unarmed”, oh was she now? How do you know that? You don’t. The piece was run on Friday night, and was anything but neutral. It’s clear that once again the local media is ‘out for cop blood’.

The NC Times’ take on the video:

OCEANSIDE —- Shooting victim Rachel Silva’s car was backing out of a parking spot when five gunshots rang out from another car over a four-second span, according to a gas station manager who’s seen the surveillance video from the March 15 incident.

Other than that, the tape didn’t reveal much, he said.

The interviewee on the broadcast had a whole other take. He like many reading here claimed the cop is guilty, and that shooting an 8–year-old kid was indefensible; even though none of those defending her were there.

“All you can do is confirm the vehicle’s movement and the sound of gunfire,” said Jose Torres, 41, manager at a Shell gas station adjacent to the shooting site, a Lowe’s Home Improvement store parking lot at 155 Old Grove Road.

He wasn’t working the night it happened, but saw a video from the store’s surveillance camera —- about 50 yards from the scene —- the next morning and has viewed it multiple times since. Torres showed the footage to a TV news crew on Friday but didn’t give them a copy, he said.

Oceanside police have denied repeated media requests for more information about the incident, including tapes of the 911 calls made during the incident. Torres said that at the time the shooting took place —- 9 p.m. on a Saturday —- the Lowe’s parking lot is typically “very busy.” “There are witnesses, you just have to find them,” he said.

The news media is still hacked off at Bonnie Dumanis for her role in exonerating Coronado officer Aaron Mansker after he shot Charger player Steve Foley. Mansker pursued Foley for approximately 45 minutes in his personal car, out of uniform, and without — as far as I know — requesting assistance from the jurisdictions he was driving through.

No one is sure if they are upset that Mansker was over-zealous or that the Chargers lost a player for the rest of that particular season. It’s a toss-up.

New day, new attorney

Yep, another attorney is now representing Silva. Iredale seems to have bailed on her, but is representing her son. Anyone thinking ‘rats leave a sinking ship’?

[Michael] Pancer has replaced Gene Iredale as Silva’s attorney. Iredale, who had also been representing Silva’s son, will continue in that role. Iredale said the switch was made to avoid any potential conflict of interest. He said he intends “to coordinate the case very closely” with Pancer.

Pancer, well-known in the county, has defended clients such as former San Diego Mayor Roger Hedgecock and former San Diego Councilman Ralph Inzunza.

Interesting that Pancer formally DEFENDED Roger Hedgecock, who has been on the beating the drums against Officer White since the story broke three weeks ago. How many “defense” attorneys does one “victim” need?

I don’t remember anything

Funny, how the attorney wants to review the tape and ‘certain things’, yet her client has said she remembers nothing. Why review the tape or anything else before saying that on the record?

“There are certain things we have requested to view,” Pancer said. “ … When we get these issues resolved, then it may be appropriate for her to give a formal statement.”

In other words, he wants to make sure she can’t be shown to be a liar before he let’s her give a statement. Next time any of you are arrested, make sure you demand to see all the evidence against you before giving a statement. When the laughing stops in the station-house, ask to call your attorney and shut up.

How about some test results

It’s been three weeks, how long does it take to get back tests?

Aguigui said police are awaiting a statement from Silva, the results of toxicology tests she was given “and other forensic analysis of evidence.”

Since I have never been arrested for DUI or tested for being drunk, I am unfamiliar with the length of time it takes to get this done. Three weeks seems like a lot. Then again, maybe they know and they are just waiting on other tests, and have lumped them together.

It’s my son, that matters

The media has finally decided to get the background on Silva. After three weeks they have finally done their jobs, almost.

According to Riverside County court records, Silva was arrested in April 2007 when a sheriff’s deputy found her slumped behind the wheel of a 2000 Mazda 626, apparently after a crash in Temecula. Both front tires were flat, and both air bags had opened. A partially full bottle of tequila and a small amount of marijuana were found in her car. Her 1-year-old son was unharmed in the back seat.

Silva told the deputy, according to court records, that her son had stopped breathing while she was at a friend’s house, and she was rushing him to the hospital when she went off the road. The deputy reported that she used profanity when talking to him. The boy was turned over to his father at a nearby hospital. Court records show that Silva had a blood-alcohol level of 0.12; the legal limit is 0.08.

Funny, she claims that she had to pick up her son and that is why she was driving on this most recent night. Anyone else see a pattern developing?

Silva pleaded guilty in April 2007 to a felony charge of child endangerment and misdemeanor DUI and received three months’ probation. She received a second DUI in December in Oceanside when an officer found her slumped over the wheel of a car on Horne Street, court records show.

Well, well, well, what have we here? Where is the outrage over her endangering her child? Where is the vitriol over her putting her son’s life in danger? None, as far as I can tell. Oh but Officer White, let’s hang him without a trial.

Why did it take 3 weeks for the local media to get this information out? Seems their agenda was more important than the facts, or the news.

Her attorney was quick to dismiss any connection.

Her attorney said he doesn’t think the previous cases have anything to do with the shooting by White. “I don’t see how it would have any relevance to this case,” Pancer said.

I am sure you don’t. Those who hate cops, don’t either. It’s called a pattern of behavior. She uses her son to defend her behavior. It has now reached it’s ultimate conclusion, well almost.

As much as I hate to agree with Bonnie Dumanis, she is right. The last thing we need is a rush to judgment, however it’s already happened.

UPDATE: Roger Hedgecock — he used to sit in for Rush Limbaugh, he says they don’t want him anymore because he has a National Saturday show — is on the air making accusations that the OPD investigation is biased and the cop is guilty. For those who don’t know Roger; he is the former Mayor of San Diego, who was removed from office for corruption. (Hey Roger, if you are reading this — or your minions — how do you like being smeared?

Previously on the Island

• Rachel Silva’s son files complaint
• Rachel Silva’s Attorney’s PR Blitz
• OPD corrupt or clue-less
• Oceanside PD Defends handling of Cop shooting
• Drunk Rachel Silva Demands Cops Get Psych Evals
• Update 4 Mom remembers nothing
• Update 3: Cop Shoots mom
• Update 2: Cop shoots mom
• Update: Cop shoots mom
• Cop shoots mom

Tags: san diego, john g phillips, rachel silva, camp pendleton, kelan poorman, frank white, usmc, marines, dwi, dui