The State - News from June 11, 1989

Santa Clara County Sheriff Robert Winter, who earlier said his retirement was conditional on his successor, has backed off and now says he will step down Aug. 1 with no strings attached. Winter, 58, angered county officials last month when he said he would retire only if the county Board of Supervisors promised to give his job to Undersheriff Larry Kelly. Most board members support Kelly but denounced Winter’s ultimatum as illegal and improper. “I’m just going to have to grin and bear it,” Winter said in announcing his final departure. “I’m not sure (that) what they’re claiming is correct. But that seems to be the game they’re playing, so I’ll go along with it.” Winter lost a bitter battle with the supervisors last year over control of the county jail system.