UPDATE: The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors announced no final actions when reconvening out of closed session today. PREVIOUSLY (Oct. 8): The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors will meet in closed session Tuesday to review the job performance of embattled Public Defender David Marcus. The closed-session review comes eight months into Marcus’ tenure and about […]
Heidi Holmquist
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Judge Allows Public Defender Lawsuit to Proceed Amid Attorney Exodus
A visiting Humboldt County Superior Court judge ruled this morning that a case challenging the hiring of controversial Public Defender David Marcus can continue, finding sufficient facts have been alleged to hold a hearing to determine whether he meets minimum state qualifications for the post. The county of Humboldt had asked Judge Marjorie Carter to […]
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Deputy Public Defenders Tell Supes New Boss is ‘Unqualified’
In an unprecedented move, all nine Humboldt County deputy public defenders sent a letter to the Board of Supervisors on Friday urging it to reconsider the recent hiring of their boss, Public Defender David Marcus. “We, the undersigned, write this letter to express our belief that David Marcus is not qualified for the position of […]
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Faith in the System: Arreaga’s Public Defender Reflects on Murder Acquittal
It was an emotional moment in a Humboldt County courtroom this week when Jason Arreaga was acquitted of murder charges stemming from a 2014 double slaying. “He was gripping my hand as hard as he could,” said Heidi Holmquist, Arreaga’s public defender who successfully argued for his innocence. “He was really overwhelmed, as I was […]