SLO police drone video of BLM protest released, attorney says it contradicts official account
–San Francisco-based attorney Vincent Barrientos, who is representing protester Sam Grocott, 26, says that the California Highway Patrol and the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney misrepresented circumstances regarding an incident that occurred at a Black Lives Matter protest in San Luis Obispo in June that ended in the arrests of multiple protesters. In a news release sent to the Paso Robles Daily News on Tuesday, Barrientos says that CHP captain Greg Klingberg “lied to press and public,” and deliberately withheld the drone footage from being released.
Barrientos also sent a letter to Klinberg demanding an apology and an accurate account of events. Click here to read the letter sent by Barrientos to Captain Klingberg.
Barrientos’ press release reads:
‘SLOPD drone footage shows CHP captain Klingberg lied to press and public’
San Luis Obispo (SLO) law enforcement and SLO district attorney Dan Dow are lying to the public through the press. They are misrepresenting the facts of the case to the public. By intentionally choosing not to release the video footage, they were able to provide false statements to the press and control and shape the narrative to fit their personal agenda. This is a recurring problem throughout the United States as law enforcement withholds evidence from the public while still making public statements contradicted by the evidence they refuse to release. I’m still completing my investigation but given Dan Dow’s documented ties to conservative, right-wing extremists, the evidence is piling up showing that Dan Dow, an elected official, is abusing his prosecutorial discretion to serve himself, and his right-wing extremist clan.
The video and driver’s statements prove that DA Dan Dow is not really about law and order. Dow has been adamant that this case is about law and order and that he supports peaceful protest, but that violence and vandalism won’t be tolerated. Dow’s campaign platform claims to be tough on crime. But this new evidence shows that law enforcement and DA Dan Dow are more interested in protecting a violent, racist white man than actually enforcing law and order. No rational person, regardless of your political leanings, would believe that you can drive your car into a person because you are in a hurry to check into a hotel. (note: I didn’t include that part of the driver’s statement in my letter to the CHP, but the driver mentions not wanting to wait/or the protestors because he had a hotel to check into) Yet, instead of arresting this violent, racist that ran his car into my client, DA Dow is arresting young adults for petty charges like false imprisonment. Charges usually reserved for serious crimes such as kidnappings, not standing in front of someone’s car.
Since local law enforcement and DA Dow have been misrepresenting the facts to the public, it has prejudiced my client’s right to receive a fair trial. The public, instead of being allowed to view the video and make their own judgments about the driver and Mr. Grocott, have been spoon food a hot steaming pile of lies by DA Dow and law enforcement. My client has a constitutional right to receive a fair trial, and I have an ethical obligation to get the truth out to the people of SLO. They have a right to see what really happened.
Finally, I’m demanding that the racist driver that ran his car into my client be arrested and brought to face charges. The evidence is in the video. There is sufficient probable cause to arrest the driver. It is a miscarriage of justice that he is not a defendant in this case. Law enforcement and DA Dow owe the public a legitimate explanation as to why they are permitting a racist, violent criminal to remain free when there is video evidence showing he committed a crime. Should Captain Klingberg continue to support the personal interests of Dan Dow to the detriment of his duties, I intend to bring a Motion to Compel the arrest of the driver.
Vincent Barrientos
Law Office of Vincent Barrientos
3330 Geary Blvd. 3rd Floor East
San Francisco, CA 94118
SLO County District Attorney’s office reply to press release
Reached for comment Tuesday afternoon, the SLO County District Attorney’s office replied:
The District Attorney’s office is confident that the facts and circumstances surrounding Mr. Grocott’s arrest will be fully and fairly revealed in court once the matter is tried to a jury of our community members.
The District Attorney will not respond to the non-fact based rhetoric of Mr. Grocott’s counsel. In fact, the California Rules of Professional Conduct prohibit any attorney involved in the litigation of a case from making a statement the attorney reasonably knows will be disseminated to the public and that has a substantial likelihood of prejudicing the case. This includes not only statements by an individual attorney, but the public release of evidence outside of the court process that poses the same threat to due process of law.
The rules of professional responsibility are intended to assure the fair application and due process of law for all parties. These rules apply equally to prosecutors and criminal defense attorneys.
Eric J. Dobroth
Assistant District Attorney
County of San Luis Obispo
Sam Grocott and other protesters charged with crimes related to the Black Lives Matter protests recently filed claims against the County of San Luis Obispo. The claims, filed on Jan. 19-20, asked for damages in excess of $10,000 for allegations of civil rights violations, racial discrimination, and defamation. Legal counsel for the County of San Luis Obispo rejected the claims earlier this month.
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