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Newsclipping summary:

"Judge Says Ventura District Attorney Doesn't Have to Divulge Documents"

FEAR-List Bulletin posted by Brenda Grantland, 9/20/95

The AP article, dated 9/20/95 reports that a federal judge in Los Angeles ruled today that Ventura County's District Attorney, Michael Bradbury did not have to give the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department discovery of confidential documents on the 1993 killing of Malibu rancher Donald Scott.

Scott was shot to death by LA. Sheriff's deputies during a forfeiture raid on Scott's Trails End ranch. No drugs were found during the raid. Scott's widow, Frances, is suing Sheriff Sherman Block and his department for the killing.

Ventura County District Attorney Michael Bradbury conducted a study of the raid and issued a lengthy report accusing Block's deputies of raiding Scott's $5 million Ventura County ranch in an attempt to seize it under drug asset forfeiture laws.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said it needed Bradbury's internal documents, generated during its investigation of the filling, to help defend against the Scott lawsuit.

U.S. District Judge Tevrizian ruled Monday that Bradbury did not have to turnover the confidential documents, including those of former Ventura County prosecutor Carol Nelson, who disagreed with Bradbury's conclusions in the report.

Tevrizian's ruling overturned a previous decision by U.S. Magistrate Judge R.J. Groh Jr.