March 28, 2024
DA makes decision over Colonies re-trial
SAN BERNARDINO – (INT) – The long-running Colonies corruption case is over.

District Attorney Mike Ramos announced Friday that because of ‘witness problems that cannot be resolved’ former county assessor Jim Irwin will not face a second trial.

A Superior Court jury deadlocked in Irwin’s first trial that lasted nearly 9-months. His three co-defendants were acquitted by another jury.

Ramos says one of his concerns centered on the trial testimony of former county supervisor Bill Postmus. Ramos says Postmus’ ‘unexpected’ testimony “conflicted with his Grand Jury testimony, his statement to the FBI and multiple interviews.”

Postmus is scheduled to be sentenced October 27th in a separate case for accepting a bribe, receiving bribes, perjury, misappropriation of public funds, possession of a controlled substance and conflict of interest.

Prosecutors had tried to show that payoffs to the four cleared politicians drove the county to approve a $120 million court settlement over flood control issues involving property in Upland owned by developer Colonies Partners LP. The quartet maintained their innocence arguing that contributions to political action committees were legitimate donations that could be easily traced online.
Story Date: September 23, 2017
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