San Diego
A Superior Court judge signaled his intention Wednesday to take the wraps off San Diego City Councilman Uvaldo Martinez’s personal financial records, which have been under seal during Martinez’s prosecution on charges of misusing city funds.
Martinez submitted the information to support his request for a court-appointed attorney. Judge Richard Huffman allowed the data to remain secret during the pretrial phase of the case but ruled Wednesday that it should be released now that Martinez has pleaded guilty to two felony counts of misusing a city credit card.
However, Huffman delayed the release of the records until this morning to give Martinez’s lawyer, Raymond J. Coughlan, a chance to appeal the ruling. Attorneys for the San Diego Union and Tribune sought the release of the records.
Under a plea bargain with prosecutors, Martinez must resign from the City Council before his sentencing next week.
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