Truth matters. Community matters. Your support makes both possible. LAist is one of the few places where news remains independent and free from political and corporate influence. Stand up for truth and for LAist. Make your year-end tax-deductible gift now.
This archival content was originally written for and published on KPCC.org. Keep in mind that links and images may no longer work — and references may be outdated.
Former LA County Sheriff Lee Baca to remain free on bail as he pursues appeal
FILE: Former Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca (center) and his attorney Nathan Hochman (right) outside a federal court in Los Angeles.
(
Frank Stoltze/KPCC
)
Former Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca will remain free while he appeals his conviction in a jail corruption case, according to a ruling Wednesday by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
The court approved Baca's motion for bail, writing "that he is not likely to flee or to pose a danger to the safety of any other person or the community if released."
The appeals court disagreed with a lower court's findings that Baca had failed to prove his eligibility for bail and that he was appealing in an attempt to delay his imprisonment, reversing a decision in August to deny his request.
Baca, who ran the sheriff's department for 15 years, was sentenced in May to three years in prison after convicted of conspiracy, obstruction of justice and lying. He is one of several high-ranking department officials implicated in a 2011 plot to block an FBI investigation into inmate abuse at a local jail.
Sponsored message
Baca has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, which his lawyers argued earlier this year merited a sentence of community service and home confinement. U.S. District Judge Percy Anderson nonetheless decided on the three-year prison sentence, telling Baca during the sentencing: "There comes a time when you have to accept responsibility."
Read the full decision below:
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our connected community. We are free to tell the full truth, to hold power to account without fear or favor, and to follow facts wherever they lead. Our only loyalty is to our audiences and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen our community.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive before year-end will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive before year-end will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
