Defense Attorney Accuses OC Prosecutor, Newport Beach Police Of Abuse Of Power
SANTA ANA (CBSLA/City News Service) -- A defense attorney is accusing an Orange County prosecutor and Newport Beach police of "abuse of power" in a domestic violence case.
Defense attorney Michael Molfetta said O.C. prosecutor Mark Geller and police were allegedly trying to get even with defendant Jordan Adrian Salkin.
According to Molfetta, Geller was upset that Salkin got a new trial motion on attempted murder charges due to allegations that Geller failed to turn over 3,600 pages of medical records.
Geller insisted he was not a violation of the "Brady" law that states prosecutors have the responsibility to turn over evidence to defense attorneys. Prosecutors could face discipline from the state bar or criminal
charges if they are found in violation.
Salkin was convicted in February 2019 on attempted murder and domestic violence charges. His conviction was overturned in January by Judge Cheri Pham, who will also be hearing the motion to revoke bail on Thursday, according to Molfetta.
Geller said Salkin beat his live-in girlfriend in Irvine to the point where she fell into a coma and remains hospitalized.
Salkin's previous attorneys argued instead that the girlfriend attacked Salkin by jumping on him and hit her head when she fell.
Geller said his trial expert testified that the girlfriend is on life support and in a persistent vegetative state, to which Molfetta said, according to medical records, the girlfriend was "improving" and "not in a vegetative state."
In a separate June 10 incident with another live-in girlfriend of Salkin's, Molfetta said Geller "seized an opportunity to try to create a problem" for Salkin, referring to police showing up to Salkin's home several times that day and citing reports of someone allegedly overhearing screaming and threatening at the home.
Geller said Molfetta is "misrepresenting" the facts in the current case.
According to Geller, Salkin turned himself into police on Wednesday and was charged with two counts of criminal threats and domestic violence with a sentencing enhancement for committing a crime while out on bail on a separate case.
Judge Pham on Thursday will consider a motion to revoke bail for Salkin, who is facing new charges as he awaits a new trial on the attempted murder case.
(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)