Annual march focuses on rights of victims of crimes, injustices in Kern County

April 13, 2016 | 9:23 am

One victim is a woman who was sexually assaulted by the very person in charge of protecting her and other citizens in our community, a Kern County Sheriff’s deputy. Another woman was struck and killed by a drunk driver as she walked home. Any yet another victim was beaten to death by several law enforcement officers.

They are victims whose civil cases are represented by attorney from the Bakersfield-based law firm Chain | Cohn | Stiles, but they all have one thing in common. Those directly involved in these cases, and their families, are all considered victims of crimes and injustices, and were represented at the fourth annual Victims’ Rights March.

“It’s important to honor the memories of these victims, and it’s equally important to speak out against the injustices these victims have faced,” said David Cohn, managing partner of the injury, accident and workers’ compensation law firm Chain | Cohn | Stiles.

The march, organized by the Kern County District Attorney’s Office, began at 5 p.m. Tuesday (April 12) at the Liberty Bell in front of Kern County Superior Court and continued toward Mill Creek Park in downtown Bakersfield. The theme for this year’s march was “Serving Victims. Building Trust. Restoring Hope.” The march was followed by a candlelight vigil.

The march is also part of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, established by Ronald Reagan in 1981.

“I think a lot of the criminal justice system is focused on the rights of the accused, as it should be, but sometimes victims’ rights get lost in all of that, and I think victims feel like they’re overlooked or ignored,” said Kern County District Attorney Lisa Green on KBAK-29. “So this is just an event where people can come together with other people who have suffered similar losses.”

At Chain | Cohn | Stiles, attorneys continue day in and day out to fight civil cases for victims of crimes and other injustices. The law firm is also deeply involved in causes that assist victims of crimes including through Mothers Against Drunk Driving and through the National Crime Victim Bar Association.

Recently, a five-part series by The Guardian examined the use of deadly force, rough justice, sexual misconduct and questionable practices among local law enforcement agencies, which garnered attention nationwide. And among the cases highlighted were those of local victims involved  wrongful death, police misconduct, sexual misconduct and civil rights cases handled by the Bakersfield law firm Chain | Cohn | Stiles.

They included David Sal Silva, who was killed on the night of May 7, 2013. Silva was asleep in front of a home in east Bakersfield, across from Kern Medical Center when several law enforcement officers arrived on scene and proceeded to use unreasonable and excessive force in striking Silva with batons several times all over his body, while he screamed for his life and repeatedly begged the officers to stop. After being repeatedly beaten, bitten and hog-tied, Silva stopped breathing. Shortly after midnight, Silva was taken to Kern Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. Chain | Cohn | Stiles has filed a civil rights lawsuit in connection with the wrongful death of David Silva.

In another highlighted case, Jane Doe was sexually assaulted by Kern County deputy Gabriel Lopez in her home in Tehachapi. Lopez sexually assaulted at least two other people as well. He pleaded no contest to two counts of assault by a public officer, two counts of false imprisonment, and two counts of sexual battery, and was sentenced to two years in prison.

If you or someone you know is the victim of a crime, contact the lawyers at Chain | Cohn | Stiles at 661-323-4000, or visit the law firm’s website at chainlaw.com.

———

MEDIA COVERAGE

Recognizing women in law during Women’s History Month

March 30, 2016 | 9:01 am

As March’s Women’s History Month comes to a close, Chain | Cohn | Stiles commemorates the achievements and contributions of women in United States history.

The theme of this year’s Women’s History Month is “Working to Form a More Perfect Union: Honoring Women in Public Service and Government.” And since this theme includes those women working in legal fields, Chain | Cohn | Stiles wished to recognize those women, specifically those at the Bakersfield-based law firm fighting for justice for injury, accident and crime victims.

Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch this month delivered remarks at the U.S. Department of Justice Women’s History Month Celebration. In her statement, Lynch acknowledged the contributions of women who serve as “prosecutors and paralegals, trial attorneys and special agents, spokespeople and support staff.”

” … Women are essential to our ongoing efforts to protect the rights and well-being of every American,” Lynch said.

Still, she said, “there is a great deal of work still left to be done.” Women remain underrepresented in government and business in the United States, and continue to face a number of uniquely difficult challenges, she said.

“More than ever, we are dedicated to ensuring that our nation’s promises of freedom, opportunity and justice for all are delivered equally across gender lines.”

At Chain | Cohn | Stiles, 75 percent of the staff are women, including attorneys Beatriz Trejo and Felicia Schoepfer-Altmiller. Other women in the office work as paralegals, legal assistants, file clerks and receptionists. It’s important for the law firm to adequately represent clients.

Beatriz Trejo is an associate in the law firm’s workers’ compensation* department, and is fluent in Spanish. Associate Felicia Schoepfer-Altmiller works in Chain | Cohn | Stiles personal injury department.

Recently, a great moment was captured in front of the Kern County Superior Court when nearly 100 local women attorneys and other law officials — including Chain | Cohn | Stiles lawyers Beatriz Trejo and Felicia Schoepfer-Altmiller — took part in a group photo for Women’s History Month. (Photo Credit: Alekxia Torres Stallings)

Also included in the group shot were Kern County Supervisor Leticia Perez, retired judge Sharon Mettler, U.S. Magistrate Judge Jennifer Thurston, and Kern County District Attorney Lisa Green. For media coverage of this occasion, click here for the KGET-17 (NBC) news video.

Women’s History Month originated as a national celebration in 1981 to pay tribute “to the generations of women whose commitment to nature and the planet have proved invaluable to society,” according to the Women’s History Month website.

———

*NOTICE: Making a false or fraudulent Workers’ Compensation claim is a felony subject to up to 5 years in a prison or a fine of up to $150,000 or double the value of the fraud, whichever is greater, or by both imprisonment and fine.

Chain | Cohn | Stiles responds to Kern County District Attorney decision on Silva case

April 11, 2014 | 4:15 pm

Chain | Cohn | Stiles on Friday released the following news release after Kern County District Attorney Lisa Green announced that her office would not be seeking criminal charges against the law enforcement officers involved in the death of David Silva, represented by this firm:

Below the release are links to media coverage of the announcement, and the response from Chain | Cohn | Stiles.

——

April 11, 2014                                                                                                       

NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Attorney in David Silva case calls Kern County District Attorney’s Office decision a disappointment

The attorney for the family of David S. Silva on Friday called the decision by the Kern County District Attorney’s Office a disappointment, following its decision to not file charges against officers that beat and hogtied him before he died.

“This is the reason we need an independent advisory panel evaluating these types of cases,” said David K. Cohn, managing partner with Chain | Cohn | Stiles and attorney representing the Silva family. “Kern County District Attorney’s Office personnel work with these agencies every day, and they’re the ones in charge of prosecuting cases for them. Apparently, the way it works in Kern County is that unless they catch the officers red-handed, nothing will happen. It appears that they look for ways not to prosecute.”

Cohn continued: “Given that we do not have an independent panel in place to investigate, that’s the reason we filed a lawsuit in this case on behalf of the Silva family.  Through this lawsuit, we believe the truth will come out. We have the ability to question these officers under oath. We’ll be more thorough in this investigation than any investigation that the Kern County District Attorney’s Office has done thus far. We won’t just rely on the investigative reports prepared by the Sheriff’s office, which are self-serving, one-sided versions of the events leading up to David Silva’s tragic death.”

Chain | Cohn | Stiles has filed a civil rights lawsuit in connection with the wrongful death of David Silva in May 7, 2013. The lawsuit arises out of an incident at the intersection of Flower Street and Palm Street in Bakersfield, when David Silva died as a consequence of unreasonable and excessive force used by six Sheriff’s deputies, a sergeant, and two California Highway Patrol officers.

The complaint seeks damages on behalf of David’s four young children, his significant other, his parents and his brother, for the loss of love, affection, society, service, comfort, support, right of support, expectations of future support and counseling, companionship, solace and mental support, as well as other benefits and assistance of the decedent, David Silva.

——

Meanwhile, local, state and national news media has been covering the announcement and response. Here are some of those articles and videos. 

 

The Bakersfield Californian: Prosecutors won’t file charges in David Silva’s death, Letters to the Editor

KERO-23, ABC: Attorney in David Silva case calls Kern County District Attorney’s Office decision a disappointment

KBFX-58, KBAK-29, FOX: Kern County prosecutor: No charges in Silva in-custody death 

KGET-17, NBC: District attorney: No charges to be filed in David Silva case

KGET-17, NBC: DA: No charges for deputies in deadly Silva confrontation

KERO-23, ABC: Kern County District Attorney will not file charges in the alleged beating death of David Silva

CBS-2, KCAL-9, Los Angeles: No Charges Filed Against Deputies In Bakersfield Arrest Death

San Francisco Chronicle: No charges filed in Kern County arrest death