"Richard Alarcon's fall from Valley political leader to convicted felon"

Wonderful to talk with Alice Walton of KPCC for this story. 

"Richard Alarcon is not a political novice. He has spent a lot of time in different political offices. I think he was well aware of the residency requirements," said Jessica Levinson, a professor at Loyola Law School.

...

Alarcon's conviction could land him in state prison for up to six years. He could also be banned from running for office again. But according to Prof. Levinson, it may be too soon to write Alarcon's political obituary.

"A lot of politicians have a kind of phoenix-rise-from-the-ashes story... so we'll see," Levinson said.

"Alarcon jurors were split, argued for days over criminal charges"

Good to talk to Soumya Karlamangla at the Los Angeles Times for this one.

Jessica Levinson, who teaches election law at Loyola Law School, said that the jury's decision to convict only selectively on some counts, based on the evidence, indicates they "were very careful" and "spent a lot of time thinking about what the words meant."

News from LA: "Jury begins deliberating Alarcon perjury, voter fraud case"

Wonderful to talk to Soumya Karlamangla on this one. 

"Domicile cases can be a really tough call because you're trying to figure out someone's state of mind," said Jessica Levinson, who teaches election law at Loyola Law School.
Levinson said pieces of evidence like that, which suggest intent, could be enough for the defense to create "reasonable doubt" in the jurors' minds. Before a jury can convict, the law requires it to agree the charges are true "beyond a reasonable doubt."


"The prosecution basically builds a ship and the defense tries to poke enough of a hole to get some leakage," she said

"Richard Alarcon's perjury and voter fraud trial to resume this week"

Great to talk to Soumya Karlamangla for this article about former Councilman Alarcon's trial. 

In his ongoing perjury and voter fraud trial, former Los Angeles Councilman Richard Alarcon is seeking to fend off two intertwined lines of attack by prosecutors: that he allegedly lived illegally outside his district and was a career politician who put personal ambition first.
... 
Jessica Levinson, a professor at Loyola Law School who studies election laws, said the prosecution wants the jury to conclude that "the Alarcons knew exactly what they were doing."
... 
Jessica Levinson, a professor at Loyola Law School who studies election laws, said the prosecution wants the jury to conclude that "the Alarcons knew exactly what they were doing."

Jury finds Sen. Rod Wright guilty on eight felony counts

Quoted in this one in the Sacramento Bee. 

The state legislator who often says his constituents’ main concern is landing a “j-o-b” may be in need of a new one himself.

A Los Angeles jury on Tuesday convicted state Sen. Rod Wright on eight felony counts in a case that challenged whether he lived in the district he represented, potentially sending the Democratic lawmaker to prison for up to eight years. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 12.

Prosecutors alleged Wright did not live in the Inglewood home he listed as his address when he ran for office in 2008, and instead lived in Baldwin Hills, a swankier community outside the boundaries of his working-class district. They charged him with eight felony counts – two counts of perjury, one count of filing a false declaration of candidacy and five counts of fraudulent voting.

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2014/01/28/6110018/jury-finds-sen-rod-wright-guilty.html#storylink=cpy

...

Jessica Levinson, an election law expert at Loyola Law School, said the difference in how cases are treated can reflect varying priorities among county prosecutors.

“These are very visible cases,” Levinson said. “When you bring a case against a legislator you want to be really sure you’re going to win, because it’s going to be in the paper.”

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2014/01/28/6110018/jury-finds-sen-rod-wright-guilty.html#storylink=cpy