ANTONOVICH SEEKS PROBE OF EVIDENCE IN MOLESTATION CASE.Byline: Karen Maeshiro Daily News Staff Writer Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich Michael Dennis Antonovich (born 1939 in Los Angeles, California) is a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors representing the Fifth District, which covers northern Los Angeles County, the Antelope, Santa Clarita, Pasadena, and parts of the San Fernando and San has asked the Sheriff's Department and District Attorney's Office to investigate claims that they mishandled the case of a Palmdale man later acquitted of child molestation Child molestation is a crime involving a range of indecent or sexual activities between an adult and a child, usually under the age of 14. In psychiatric terms, these acts are sometimes known as pedophilia. . Antonovich's request was prompted by a complaint by the wife of the defendant, Tammy Zaragoza, that sheriff's investigators and prosecutors disregarded evidence that would have exonerated her husband. ``This experience with the criminal justice system has taken any faith and all trust I have ever had for the law,'' Zaragoza wrote in a letter to Antonovich's staff. ``I am now aware that there is no truth to the concept of innocent until proven guilty.'' Lori Howard, an aide to Antonovich, said the investigations by the Sheriff's Department and District Attorney's Office have not been completed. ``When we get a complaint, we always investigate it,'' Howard said. Ray Zaragoza was acquitted in December of charges that he molested mo·lest tr.v. mo·lest·ed, mo·lest·ing, mo·lests 1. To disturb, interfere with, or annoy. 2. To subject to unwanted or improper sexual activity. and abused a teen-age relative. The jury deadlocked dead·lock n. 1. A standstill resulting from the opposition of two unrelenting forces or factions. 2. Sports A tied score. 3. on two counts of child molestation, which were dismissed by the judge, prosecutors said. ``I think they could have done a much better job of investigation,'' said P. Basil Lambros, Ray Zaragoza's attorney. ``I felt the man was not guilty, period. It was a setup.'' Deputy District Attorney Kelly Cromer said three girls, including the alleged victim, had testified that the defendant either molested or had tried to molest mo·lest tr.v. mo·lest·ed, mo·lest·ing, mo·lests 1. To disturb, interfere with, or annoy. 2. To subject to unwanted or improper sexual activity. them. ``I think the evidence was more than sufficient to find him guilty. Otherwise, we wouldn't have tried the case,'' Cromer said. Sheriff's investigator Mike Wilson Mike Wilson could refer to the following people:
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