Former longtime San Bernardino County District Attorney Mike Ramos has agreed to a six-month suspension of his law license for deleting evidence related to the high-profile, years-long Colonies public corruption case, the California State Bar has announced.
The suspension is the result of a stipulation agreement between Ramos and the State Bar’s Office of Chief Trial Counsel, the organization said.
In it, Ramos “admits culpability and agrees to a six-month actual suspension for an act of moral turpitude based on grossly negligent misconduct in relation to a case that arose during his tenure as District Attorney of San Bernardino County,” according to a State Bar statement.
What did Ramos do wrong?
The wrongdoing stems from both the criminal public corruption probe, which ultimately resulted in acquittals, as well as civil litigation that followed it, officials said.
“While serving as District Attorney from 2002 to 2018, Ramos used a campaign email account and personal cellphone to communicate about the criminal investigation,” the statement said. “He later deleted potentially relevant emails and text messages after litigation began, and after receiving formal discovery requests in the related federal civil suit, Colonies Partners L.P. v. County of San Bernardino.”
The agreement additionally calls for a two-year stayed suspension, two years of probation, completion of the State Bar Ethics School, passing of the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination, $2,494 in monetary sanctions and disciplinary costs.
The suspension will not take effect until approved by the California Supreme Court.
State Bar Chief Trial Counsel George Cardona said that prosecutors are entrusted with a great deal of authority and discretion.
“And with that comes a heightened responsibility to adhere to the ethical standards of the legal profession,” he said. “
“This stipulated discipline, if approved by the California Supreme Court, reinforces the State Bar’s commitment to ensuring that those who violate the rules governing attorney conduct—regardless of their title or position—are held responsible,” according to Cardona.
Who is Mike Ramos
Ramos, also known as Michael Anthony Ramos, has been an attorney for more than 29 years, according to the State Bar. Had no prior history of discipline.
He took office as San Bernardino County District Attorney in 2002 and held the position until being defeated in 2018 by current District Attorney Jason Anderson.
He’s currently based out of Redlands, records show.
What is the Colonies case?
The Colonies public corruption case was a years-long legal battle that began with a dispute between county officials and a developer, Colonies Partners LP.
The dispute began in 1999, when the county took control of roughly 70 acres of Colonies land in Upland for a flood control basin.
An ensuing lawsuit led to the county paying a $102 million settlement to Colonies in 2006.
The San Bernardino District Attorney’s Office, then led by Ramos, brought charges against the developer and to former high-ranking county officials.
The high-profile public corruption trial that followed, widely described as the largest in county history, ended with the acquittals of all three defendants in 2017.
The ill-fated case led the county to pay another $65 million to Colonies in 2020 to settle allegations of malicious prosecution.
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Ex- San Bernardino Co. DA agrees to suspension over deletion of evidence in Colonies case
Reporting by Brian Day, Victorville Daily Press / Victorville Daily Press
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