COUPLE'S CHARGES TOSSED EDUCATORS WON'T FACE TRIAL.Byline: Bhavna Mistry Staff Writer LOS ANGELES - Charges of embezzlement embezzlement, wrongful use, for one's own selfish ends, of the property of another when that property has been legally entrusted to one. Such an act was not larceny at common law because larceny was committed only when property was acquired by a "felonious taking," i. and misappropriations of public funds were dismissed Monday against two Santa Clarita Valley The Santa Clarita Valley is the valley of the Santa Clara River in Southern California. It stretches through Los Angeles County and Ventura County. Its main population center is the city of Santa Clarita. The valley was part of the 48,612-acre (19,672. school board trustees who worked for the Los Angeles Unified School District The Los Angeles Unified School District (the "LAUSD") is the largest (in terms of number of students) public school system in California and the second-largest in the United States. Only the New York City Department of Education has a larger student population. . Superior Court Judge Marjorie Steinberg dismissed the charges against Gloria Mercado, a member of the William S. Hart Union High School District board, and her husband, Bruce Fortine, a trustee on the College of the Canyons College of the Canyons is one of the fastest-growing community colleges in the state. According to the National Junior College Research Association, College of the Canyons consistently ranks in the top 50 community colleges in the nation. board, citing a lack of enough evidence against them to hold trial. ``I knew I was never guilty,'' said Mercado, who lost her re-election campaign to the Hart board last month. ``My reputation has been smeared, and that is something that I can never get back.'' The couple was charged in December 1999 after officials claimed Mercado overpaid Fortine for work he did as a part-time aide at Le Conte Middle School Joseph Le Conte Middle School is located in 1316 North Bronson Avenue. in Hollywood, in Los Angeles, California with a ZIP code of 90028 next to Tribune Studios. Le Conte serves Hollywood, Beachwood Canyon, and Larchmont. in Hollywood, where Mercado was principal, officials said. Deputy District Attorney Arunas Sodonis said Fortine, 63, was ``double dipping'' and receiving a salary from the school district and a movie production company that filmed on campus after hours. The prosecutor said he was paid for two jobs at the same time. ``When the case was filed, it appeared that Mr. Fortine was a ghost employee,'' Sodonis said. ``It's clear that Mrs. Mercado treated her boyfriend very differently than other employees.'' Stephen Fleishman, the couple's attorney, said Fortine was working his normal part-time hours, and worked for the production company after school. Mercado said the case developed out of retaliation from United Teachers Los Angeles for turning in a long-term teacher and union representative who was fondling kids. ``This is a case that shouldn't have gone this far,'' Fleishman said. ``I'm begging the court to dismiss the case.'' The prosecution was disappointed with the ruling. `It's not whether or not they did it,'' Sodonis said. ``It's whether it rises to felonious Done with an intent to commit a serious crime or a felony; done with an evil heart or purpose; malicious; wicked; villainous. An aggravated assault, such as an assault with an intent to murder, is a felonious assault. level. It's a disappointment, but I respect the judge's decision.'' Since the charges were filed, Mercado, who had worked for the LAUSD LAUSD Los Angeles Unified School District (Los Angeles, CA) for 23 years, was reassigned. She now oversees categorical programs that are specially funded. |
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