Santa Ana : Deputies’ Suit Accuses Youngblood of Slander
Bobby D. Youngblood, who is running for county sheriff, was sued for libel and slander Tuesday by two Sheriff’s Department deputies.
Lt. Tim Simons and Sgt. Randall Blair, members of the criminal intelligence unit, alleged that Youngblood “maliciously discredited” them when he charged in an April 9, 1985, news conference that both officers supplied cocaine to Youngblood’s wife, Cheryl, as part of an attempt to “set up Youngblood.”
Youngblood, his wife and his attorney, Michael J. Cisarik, were named as defendants. The suit seeks unspecified general damages.
The lawsuit, filed in Superior Court, is the latest round in a long-running dispute between Sheriff Brad Gates and Youngblood.
In the past, Gates has declined comment on the feud on the ground that his office has an open investigation involving Youngblood. Youngblood has a $10-million civil rights suit pending against Gates, alleging that the sheriff spied on him for political purposes.
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