In recent weeks, the Inyo Supervisors issued a request for letters of interest and resumes from applicants who wanted the appointment as Inyo District Attorney. Tuesday, the Board went through a lengthy interview process of three candidates and unanimously appointed Bishop attorney Tom Hardy as Inyo County’s new District Attorney.
The appointment is for the unexpired term of retired DA Art Maillet, ending January of 2015. The process of appointment took more than three hours Tuesday. Each of the three candidates gave five-minute opening statements. The candidates were Assistant District Attorney Joel Samuels, Attorney Tom Hardy and Attorney Jeffrey Greenberg, all local lawyers.
Then all of the candidates went to a separate office and were called back one at a time to answer a total of eight questions by the Board of Supervisors. One of the questions involved the DA’s responsibilities to the public and relations with the media. Samuels said he couldn’t talk about anything other than what is filed with the Court. Hardy made it clear that he would be as open as possible with the public and focus on good relations with the media.
The past DA’s office had basically vowed not to speak to local reporters. After the Grand Jury suggested they needed better relationships with the news, the attorneys occasionally issued press releases or spoke briefly with media.
During a public comment period that followed the questioning, former DA Phil McDowell and two public defenders stood up in support of attorney Hardy. Board members discussed what they wanted in a DA. Supervisor Rick Pucci made a motion to appoint Tom Hardy. Jeff Griffiths seconded the motion, and it was a 5 to 0 vote. Once Hardy is sworn in, he will go to work as the new Inyo District Attorney.
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When will Mr Hardy be sworn in as DA?
Yes.
BK
The Citizens of Inyo County have been well served by the action of the Board of Supervisors.
It’s about time. Art is a good man but in my opinion, long disengaged from his work. He let two DA’s best described as henchman run the show. With the exception of juvenile cases, Art was an absentee DA. Art had the audacity to criticize Tom Hardy during open comment and in support of Samuels. Its rumored Samuels was a work horse and allowed to run Will Richmond out as assistant DA and Art fired him without the courage of an in person meeting, but rather left a note for him. and then gave the spot to Samuels. Samuels was known to have one view, his own. Samuels backlogged the criminal justice system because of his own agenda and not based on what was good for the community. Its well known Samuels had regular outbursts and fits, yelling at other attorneys and in one case knocking over a chair in frustration. The Board made the right decision and opened up an opportunity for positive change.
This is a very good decision by the BOS. Mr. Hardy will hopefully nullify the unnecessary arrogance within that Department. There are great hard working respected people that work there, that have been treated like dirt. They haven’t had the backbone of a leader to support a healthy working environment and positive morale. Hopefully Tom Hardy can bring such skills within those walls and repair the negative reputation of the District Attorney’s Office.
This is great news! Tom Hardy is a great guy and a very good attorney. Hopefully with Tom, we will have a much more open district attorney’s office that shares information without compromising the rights of the accused. The Board of Supervisors made a great choice.
I have meet Tom Hardy and Joel Samuels personally . They are both good men in my opinion. I do not know Mr. Greenberg. Thou I would have personally preferred Adolf Hitler to Art Mailltet I wonder if our elected members even considered letting us low lives vote on this elected position.
You will be able to vote after the unexpired term is up in 2015. That is how it works, legally. Mr. Maillet retired leaving part of his elected term vacant. Mr. Hardy will fill it.
Benett Kessler
Great Choice by the Inyo Board. Tom is a good man and a good attorney. He will serve the citizens of Inyo County well.