Randa Burrows This is Me

 Web References

1. 1. Defending Animals - Case Histories

   www.voicesforpets.org/pages/de - [Cached]

   Published on: 11/1/2006   Last Visited: 12/31/2007

   Randa Burrows witnessed the shooting of a cat, reported the incident to the police, and filed a police report. The cruelty case was never tried, but Randa found herself being sued in Court for libel and false arrest. The story of this injustice follows.
   
   On September 19, 2005 Randa Burrows was walking her dog on the Arroyo Mocho Trail that winds through many residential neighborhoods in Livermore California. Randa said, "I heard a cat screaming in pain. It sounded like the cat was being tortured; I started to run in the direction of the cries, when a cat came running from the backyard of 473 Daiseyfield Drive." Randa heard a popping and cracking sound and looked up to see another cat dropping branch to branch from a tree, and a man aiming an air gun rifle repeatedly shooting as the cat fell. Randa screamed at the man telling him she was going to call the police. He smirked and said, "Go ahead it's my yard, I can do whatever I want on my property." Randa said, "No you can't, you can't shoot animals." While Randa kept the man busy the second cat managed to escape by running past her.
   ...
   Randa called the Livermore Police Department. When officers Batrez and Custodia arrived Randa gave them a detailed description of the man.
   ...
   Officer Batrez then walked over to where Randa Burrows was waiting and said, "Well that's it, he admitted it, you can have him arrested." Randa signed the citizen's arrest form.
   ...
   The next day Randa looked for the injured cats and handed out fliers alerting neighbors to check their pets for injuries, and to report missing or injured cats in the area.
   
   Randa had worked in the Criminal Justice System for a total of ten years, first at the Pleasanton Municipal Court and then as a Fingerprint Technician for the Alameda County Sheriff's Department. She was about to find out what can happen to a witness in the good old boys system of priorities.
   
   Between September 19 and October 19 Randa made several calls to the District Attorney's office and left messages, but none were returned. Randa wrote a letter to the Alameda County District Attorney's office asking that they hold Cable responsible for this crime.
   ...
   On Cable's scheduled arraignment date, October 20, 2005, Randa spent time at the courthouse waiting for the case to be called.
   ...
   Later Randa called the court to ask what the status of the case was. She was told that the office of Alameda County District Attorney, Thomas Orloff, declined to prosecute the case.
   
   On December 29 Randa received a subpoena for a Small Claims court trial. Cable, the admitted cat shooter, was suing Randa, the witness, for $5000 claiming false arrest, libel and slander through contacts with his neighbors and newspaper reports.
   ...
   In January 2006 Randa called Voices for Pets asking for help. She told of repeated harassing phone calls Cable made from his place of employment, the Clorox Company in Pleasanton. She told of a man who twice parked his pickup truck down the street and pounded on her door yelling, "I have some papers for you, what's the matter Randa, are you afraid of paper?" This was not the behavior of a professional subpoena server. It was intended to intimidate a witness who had reported a crime. Randa did not open her door.
   ...
   On January 19, I met with Randa at the Arroyo Mocho trail.
   ...
   After Randa left I decided to videotape the location.
   ...
   Randa went to the Livermore Police Department to obtain a copy of the police report to aid in her defense. A clerk told her she did not have a right to the report.
   
   It's interesting to note that Cable, the admitted cat shooter who had been arrested, had a right to the police report, but Randa, a witness who was being sued, did not!
   ...
   On January 6 Randa went to the courthouse to obtain a subpoena for the police report. She hand delivered it to the Livermore Police Department.
   ...
   On January 19, I went with Randa to the Livermore Police Department. A clerk told us the report was still not ready. We asked to speak with the Supervisor. The Custodian of Records, Sonia Cardinale, came out and said that she could not give the police report to Randa but she would send it to the court the next morning.
   
   The next day with less than two weeks to prepare for her defense Randa went to the court clerk's office. After standing in line, Randa was told that the police report had arrived but was in a sealed envelope that could only be opened by the Judge.
   ...
   The Judge said no, and that Randa would have to rely on his memory. Randa asked if he had received the police report.
   ...
   Randa requested a copy to aid in her defense. The Judge opened the envelope, quickly read the report and handed it to the clerk to make a copy for Randa. This was the first time Randa had seen the police report. The report confirmed Randa's memory of what she had witnessed, her statement to police, Cable's confession, and Officer Batrez telling Randa she could have Cable arrested. Randa testified about what she had witnessed and of handing out fliers alerting neighbors to check their pets for injuries and to report missing or injured cats to law enforcement.
   
   Later that week Randa received Judge Blea's decision in the mail.
   ...
   Without explanation Judge Blea ordered Randa to pay the admitted cat shooter James Cable $5,000.
   ...
   Randa made an appointment with Attorney Evans.
   ...
   This would cost Randa $3,500.
   
   On May 5, 2006 in the Superior Court in Pleasanton, California the appeal of the Small Claims Court decision of Judge Blea, ordering Randa to pay $5,000 to James Cable was to be heard by Judge Christine Maruza.
   ...
   The case of Cable versus Burrows was called.
   ...
   As the plaintiff, Cable went first to present his case, going on and on about how Randa had slandered and libeled him to his neighbors, by handing out fliers, and to the community in the newspapers and on the internet.
   ...
   Finally, before Randa had a chance to present her defense, Judge Maruza cut Cable off and said, "I've heard enough, I'm ready to rule."
   ...
   True, Randa did not have to pay an admitted cat shooter five thousand dollars, but because of the prosecutorial priorities of Alameda County District Attorney Thomas Orloff, there was no justice for the cats who were only trying to live and enjoy life like the rest of us.
   ...
   Randa did what law enforcement say they need the public to do. She came forward, got involved, and lived under the strain of this injustice for eight months. She had many sleepless nights wondering what had happened to the cats. Did they simply crawl into a dark space to suffer and die? She never gave up. She took time off work and did everything she could think of to obtain a measure of justice. In addition to lost work and other expenses Randa had to pay attorneys fees of $3500, a very generous discounted fee for attorney Corey Evans to prepare for and take the case through trial.
   ...
   This, Randa should not have to pay.

2. 2. Defending Animals - Case Histories

   www.voicesforpets.com/pages/de - [Cached]

   Published on: 11/1/2006   Last Visited: 2/7/2008

   Randa Burrows witnessed the shooting of a cat, reported the incident to the police, and filed a police report. The cruelty case was never tried, but Randa found herself being sued in Court for libel and false arrest. The story of this injustice follows.
   
   On September 19, 2005 Randa Burrows was walking her dog on the Arroyo Mocho Trail that winds through many residential neighborhoods in Livermore California. Randa said, "I heard a cat screaming in pain. It sounded like the cat was being tortured; I started to run in the direction of the cries, when a cat came running from the backyard of 473 Daiseyfield Drive." Randa heard a popping and cracking sound and looked up to see another cat dropping branch to branch from a tree, and a man aiming an air gun rifle repeatedly shooting as the cat fell. Randa screamed at the man telling him she was going to call the police. He smirked and said, "Go ahead it's my yard, I can do whatever I want on my property." Randa said, "No you can't, you can't shoot animals." While Randa kept the man busy the second cat managed to escape by running past her.
   ...
   Randa called the Livermore Police Department. When officers Batrez and Custodia arrived Randa gave them a detailed description of the man.
   ...
   Officer Batrez then walked over to where Randa Burrows was waiting and said, "Well that's it, he admitted it, you can have him arrested." Randa signed the citizen's arrest form.
   ...
   The next day Randa looked for the injured cats and handed out fliers alerting neighbors to check their pets for injuries, and to report missing or injured cats in the area.
   
   Randa had worked in the Criminal Justice System for a total of ten years, first at the Pleasanton Municipal Court and then as a Fingerprint Technician for the Alameda County Sheriff's Department. She was about to find out what can happen to a witness in the good old boys system of priorities.
   
   Between September 19 and October 19 Randa made several calls to the District Attorney's office and left messages, but none were returned. Randa wrote a letter to the Alameda County District Attorney's office asking that they hold Cable responsible for this crime.
   ...
   On Cable's scheduled arraignment date, October 20, 2005, Randa spent time at the courthouse waiting for the case to be called.
   ...
   Later Randa called the court to ask what the status of the case was. She was told that the office of Alameda County District Attorney, Thomas Orloff, declined to prosecute the case.
   
   On December 29 Randa received a subpoena for a Small Claims court trial. Cable, the admitted cat shooter, was suing Randa, the witness, for $5000 claiming false arrest, libel and slander through contacts with his neighbors and newspaper reports.
   ...
   In January 2006 Randa called Voices for Pets asking for help. She told of repeated harassing phone calls Cable made from his place of employment, the Clorox Company in Pleasanton. She told of a man who twice parked his pickup truck down the street and pounded on her door yelling, "I have some papers for you, what's the matter Randa, are you afraid of paper?" This was not the behavior of a professional subpoena server. It was intended to intimidate a witness who had reported a crime. Randa did not open her door.
   ...
   On January 19, I met with Randa at the Arroyo Mocho trail.
   ...
   After Randa left I decided to videotape the location.
   ...
   Randa went to the Livermore Police Department to obtain a copy of the police report to aid in her defense. A clerk told her she did not have a right to the report.
   
   It's interesting to note that Cable, the admitted cat shooter who had been arrested, had a right to the police report, but Randa, a witness who was being sued, did not!
   ...
   On January 6 Randa went to the courthouse to obtain a subpoena for the police report. She hand delivered it to the Livermore Police Department.
   ...
   On January 19, I went with Randa to the Livermore Police Department. A clerk told us the report was still not ready. We asked to speak with the Supervisor. The Custodian of Records, Sonia Cardinale, came out and said that she could not give the police report to Randa but she would send it to the court the next morning.
   
   The next day with less than two weeks to prepare for her defense Randa went to the court clerk's office. After standing in line, Randa was told that the police report had arrived but was in a sealed envelope that could only be opened by the Judge.
   ...
   The Judge said no, and that Randa would have to rely on his memory. Randa asked if he had received the police report.
   ...
   Randa requested a copy to aid in her defense. The Judge opened the envelope, quickly read the report and handed it to the clerk to make a copy for Randa. This was the first time Randa had seen the police report. The report confirmed Randa's memory of what she had witnessed, her statement to police, Cable's confession, and Officer Batrez telling Randa she could have Cable arrested. Randa testified about what she had witnessed and of handing out fliers alerting neighbors to check their pets for injuries and to report missing or injured cats to law enforcement.
   
   Later that week Randa received Judge Blea's decision in the mail.
   ...
   Without explanation Judge Blea ordered Randa to pay the admitted cat shooter James Cable $5,000.
   ...
   Randa made an appointment with Attorney Evans.
   ...
   This would cost Randa $3,500.
   
   On May 5, 2006 in the Superior Court in Pleasanton, California the appeal of the Small Claims Court decision of Judge Blea, ordering Randa to pay $5,000 to James Cable was to be heard by Judge Christine Maruza.
   ...
   The case of Cable versus Burrows was called.
   ...
   As the plaintiff, Cable went first to present his case, going on and on about how Randa had slandered and libeled him to his neighbors, by handing out fliers, and to the community in the newspapers and on the internet.
   ...
   Finally, before Randa had a chance to present her defense, Judge Maruza cut Cable off and said, "I've heard enough, I'm ready to rule."
   ...
   True, Randa did not have to pay an admitted cat shooter five thousand dollars, but because of the prosecutorial priorities of Alameda County District Attorney Thomas Orloff, there was no justice for the cats who were only trying to live and enjoy life like the rest of us.
   ...
   Randa did what law enforcement say they need the public to do. She came forward, got involved, and lived under the strain of this injustice for eight months. She had many sleepless nights wondering what had happened to the cats. Did they simply crawl into a dark space to suffer and die? She never gave up. She took time off work and did everything she could think of to obtain a measure of justice. In addition to lost work and other expenses Randa had to pay attorneys fees of $3500, a very generous discounted fee for attorney Corey Evans to prepare for and take the case through trial.
   ...
   This, Randa should not have to pay.