Jim Miller's Day in Court...

Today in the San Bernardino County Superior Court, Grand Terrace City Councilman Jim Miller pleaded not guilty to a felony conflict of interest charge.
Miller appeared in is scheduled to return for a status hearing Nov. 3.
He was arrested in July on suspicion of voting to pay for thousands of dollars in advertising with his wife's newspaper during the past two years. He had no part of the Staff Negotiations with the newspaper's owner his wife. He voted to approve the check register that contained payments for services contracted by Staff of the City for services that were rendered at a competitive price. Is that a Conflict, that is the legal question.

A status hearing is where the Attorneys of both sides and the court affirm they are ready for trial and that defence has been given all records of DA's Office. Including possibly the identity of the Anonymous Accuser speculated to be Steve Berry with the aid of Bea Cortes. Then there will be a calendar discussion so that everyone is in court. Jury Selection may also be included in the process. So Jim Miller's case can be drawn out for a significant amount of time. It may also draw into the court City Documents that may be problematic to other City Council Members and City Staff.

So stay tune Citizens... It isn't about if the adds were purchased but if his approving the check register equals a conflict of interest. The intent of the law and the letter of the law is the issue in this case. So it will be interesting for folks out of Grand Terrace City Limits as well. If the City Council is to be held to the Letter of the Law others on the GT City Council also should be expecting equal treatment from the DA's Office... or Jim Miller can consider himself a politically motivated prosecution a Political Prisoner of Grand Terrace.