Carrillo has given Casas a raise of 40 cents after 14 years. Carrillo received a $40,000 raise in one year.
Carrillo has been caught laundering money through his non-profit corporation and doing it in the name of children. You can read all about it here: Manny Carrillo is a money launderer.
But after we revealed these truths at the council meeting, the very next day Julian Casas was suspended with pay, pending an investigation for the charge of having behavior incompatible with being a Baldwin Park employee. Read about it here: Boxing Coach Gets Suspended For Whistleblowing
It doesn't end there. After suspending Casas, the City of Baldwin Park called him in for an interview. He said he wouldn't be able to come until Thursday because his second attorney wasn't available until Thursday. The Human Resource Manager stated that he didn't need his attorney. Casas insisted it was his right, and she said she never really said that he couldn't have his attorney.
But while the city said it respected his wishes for Casas to have his attorney, the HR Manager kept insisting that Casas come into an interview on Wednesday. Casas stated that his attorney wouldn't be available, but it kept pressing he had to come in.
I told Julian, "Leave it. I'll come with you. They won't be expecting me."
Dressed in my suit, we walked into the conference room, where Casas was being interviewed. I couldn't believe they had two attorneys waiting for him, one being a partner. They also had a court reporter there.
I sat directly in front of the partner. Julian sat on my left hand side. The partner asked if Julian could switch seats with me. I said, "No - that's not happening." I remained directly in front of him.
He didn't look too happy.
I couldn't believe the City of Baldwin Park was setting Julian up to have three people in the room without a lawyer. I couldn't believe they were trying to tell him he didn't have a right to a lawyer. Oh, Pacheco [the Council Member] and Carrillo [the Parks and Recs Director] and Taylor [Chief of Police and Acting City Manager] hit an all time low.
I kicked off the interview. "What complaint or allegation do you have against Casas?"
The partner said, "We'll be getting to that later."
"You do understand constitutional law."
The guy looked offended. "Yes, I do."
"Well, tell me what Miranda says then?"
"Why don't you tell us?"
"So, you don't really know - do you?"
"Look - we're not here to interview me."
He proceeded to interview Julian with a series of safe but trapping questions. I objected to two of them. Once for vagueness. Second, for compound. The lawyer was trying to confuse Julian by asking a whole bunch of questions - so he didn't know which one to answer. Then he put words in Julian's mouth and said, "Mr. Casas 'you said . . .'"
I said, "Mr. Casas said no such thing. You're putting words in his mouth."
I proceeded, "Look, we're really busy. You have three questions to start asking serious questions. Otherwise, I'm going to instruct my client that he has the right to remain silent, and we're going to walk out of here."
The partner said we had every right to walk out and every right to remain silent.
He asked a question on Julian's training.
I said, "That's your first question."
He asked another question on the rules and regulations.
I said, "That's your second question."
Then, he went to ask about the boxing students.
"That's your third question. Julian, invoke your right to remain silent."
Julian said, "I have the right to remain silent."
I said, "Alright - we're walking out now. That's all. The interview is over."
He said, "Hey - this isn't a criminal case. Miranda doesn't apply."
I responded, for the record, "Miranda applies towards any government custodial questioning. You are no longer allowed to ask questions of my client now or in the future. You need to go through me. I represent Mr. Casas. Good bye."
He tried to intimidate Julian by saying, "You know, if I conclude this interview -"
"Julian - go leave the room. This is all over now." Julian walked out.
I said, "Good bye again." We both walked out.
The court reporter ran out and asked for Julian's address. I said, "Hey - what don't you understand? No more questions. Go away."
As an attorney, that had to be one of the most dirty experiences I been through. I can't believe they were trying to set Julian up like that. I can't believe the City of Baldwin Park is in the United States. I can't believe these lawyers were trying to put words in Julian's mouth so they could fire him for something he never did. All these people need to be tried.
I got depressed later. All of this is such a gross miscarriage of injustice against an innocent person - all because he spoke the truth and a Council Member and the Director couldn't stand it. And it's depressing to feel like nobody cares about all that's happening in this city.
I also realized that even though Marlen Garcia - the former matron council member - is gone, her legacy lives on. She retaliated against employees who spoke out against her. She intimidated and bullied employees by putting them on unpaid suspension. Now, this Ricardo Pacheco has followed in her footsteps and her madness.
What's even more discouraging, is the city finds it fit to spend thousands of dollars to go on a witch hunt after Julian. Why can't they just use this money to give our boxing coaches a raise? Is it really that hard?
I've reached out to the Attorney General, the District Attorney, and now I've called the FBI - for tax evasion on these people. I just wish someone would care.
We are not free in this City. As Orwell stated, "Freedom is the right to tell people what they do not want to hear."
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