ER - Gallegos knows the words of his ad campaign to be false

Gallegos knows the words of his ad campaign to be false
Letters 6/1/2006

Dear Editor,

After trying to stay clear of becoming disgusted by words printed or said in various political ads, I finally have reached my tolerance level. Ms. Gail Gordon, mother of an Eureka homicide victim, is heard on the radio, seen and heard on the television, and seen in printed ads praising Paul Gallegos for “stepping forward to prosecute” the defendants of her son’s murder “when no one else in the District Attorney’s Office would.”

I am appalled by the fact that Mr. Gallegos has allowed these words by this saddened individual to be put to the public, knowing them to be completely false.

Deputy District Attorney Andrew Isaac had the case in the early stages and worked hard on it with Eureka Police Department Senior Detective Neil Hubbard. Deputy District Attorney Worth Dikeman, Mr. Gallegos’ opponent in the current district attorney race, actually handled the preliminary hearing because Mr. Isaac was not available due to other commitments. Mr. Isaac was ready to proceed with the cases against Douglas and Marcella Lunsford, two of the three defendants in the Nathan Dannemiller homicide, but was removed. Mr. Gallegos took the cases and did an excellent job in both, obtaining convictions. Had it not been for the incredibly detailed and dogged investigation by Neil Hubbard, and committed professional analysis of evidence by the criminalists of the California Department of Justice, Mr. Gallegos would had to have used smoke and mirrors to gain the convictions.

It was one of the most intense team efforts I participated in during my almost 15 years as the evidence technician for EPD. It was a case that touched us hard, and many of us will never forget. That effort was headed by Neil Hubbard, and because of him, the “team” at the District Attorney’s Office, the “team” of the Department of Justice, and the “team” of EPD and surrounding and out-of-state law enforcement agencies were successful at two trials.

I feel nothing but compassion for Nathan’s mother, but I believe Ms. Gordon is speaking words given to her, or that she has been misled in understanding what actually took place. I am disappointed Mr. Gallegos has allowed her to speak those words on his behalf. He was there, and so was I, and so were many, many others. Mr. Gallegos, please for the sake of Nathan’s mother, remove the ads.



Bill Walser
Eureka