It’s official: Humboldt County will have a trio of contested supervisorial races on the March primary ballot, as well as a rare contested judgeship seat. The Humboldt County Elections Office has confirmed candidates who qualified for local races, with the exception of those vying for Second District Assemblymember Jim Wood’s seat. Because Wood is declining […]
Greg Elvine-Kreis
Posted inNews
Gov. Appoints Another HumCo Judge
California Gov. Jerry Brown has appointed county Conflict Counsel Kaleb Cockrum to step in as Humboldt County’s next superior court judge. Cockrum, 43, will step into the seat vacated by the retirement of Judge Marilyn Miles, who retired in July. He is the third new judge Brown has appointed to the Humboldt County bench since […]
Posted inNews
Another One Leaves the Bench: Judge Feeney to Retire
Judge John T. Feeney today announced he is retiring effective Feb. 28 after more than 20 years on the bench in Humboldt County. Over the years, Feeney has presided over some of the region’s most notorious cases, including the 2016 murder trial of Gary Lee Bullock, who was convicted in the brutal torture death of […]
Posted inNews
Kelly Neel Tapped as Next Superior Court Judge
There’s a new judge in town. Gov. Jerry Brown just announced that he appointed Deputy Public Defender Kelly Neel to the Humboldt County Superior Court judgeship being vacated by Judge Timothy Cissna, who is retiring next month after nearly two decades on the bench. “I’m just speechless,” Neel said when reached by the Journal. “I […]
Posted inNews
Judge Marilyn Miles to Retire in July
The Humboldt County Superior Court announced today that Judge Marilyn Miles will be stepping down July 31. That will once again leave local courtrooms short on staffing just a few weeks after newly appointed Judge Greg Elvine-Kreis, who officially starts June 19, takes over the seat vacated by Bruce Watson following his retirement in January […]
Posted inNews
Gov Taps Elvine-Kreis as Humboldt’s Next Judge
Humboldt County will soon have a new superior court judge. Gov. Jerry Brown announced this afternoon that he has appointed Conflict Counsel Greg Elvine-Kreis to the judicial seat vacated by Bruce Watson’s retirement in January of 2016. While Watson’s term ended at the beginning of this year, Elvine-Kreis’ will run until January of 2019, meaning […]
Posted inNews
Alleging Public Defender is Already Failing Clients, Attorney Asks to Fast Track Lawsuit
Eureka attorney Patrik Griego is asking a judge to expedite the process of determining whether newly hired Humboldt County Public Defender David Marcus meets minimum state qualifications to hold the post. Griego, who filed a lawsuit earlier this month challenging the county’s controversial hiring of Marcus, is asking a Humboldt County Superior Court judge to […]
Posted inNews
Supes Support Marcus, Face Lawsuit by Week’s End
The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors is standing by its newly hired public defender, even if it’s a stance that will soon land it in court. The board met in closed session this morning to discuss a local lawyer’s threat that he would ask a Humboldt County Superior Court judge to step in and block […]
Posted inNews
Why Some Feel the Deck was Stacked for the Prosecution in HumCo’s Public Defender Hiring
After a process that some perceive as deeply troubling, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors announced Tuesday that it is tapping David Marcus, a Florida attorney, to be the county’s next public defender. The three-month search to replace recently retired Public Defender Kevin Robinson, who packed up his briefcase in December, caused controversy in local […]
Posted inNews
UPDATE: “Wild Bill’ Convicted of Deputy Shooting
UPDATE: A jury this afternoon convicted William “Wild Bill” Nelson of the attempted murder of a Humboldt County sheriff’s deputy, according to Assistant District Attorney Kelly Neel. Nelson shot deputy Bang Cao once in the chest as Cao was trying to serve a judge’s order forcing Nelson to move out of his girlfriend’s Shelter Cove […]