Attorney Calls on D.A. to Retract Statement

Attorney Edward J. Lacey on Thursday called on Ventura county Dist. Atty. Michael D. Bradbury to retract the “false impression” created when Bradbury said Lacey gets paid whether he does any defense work for the county or not.

A letter from Lacey to Bradbury contends that Lacey’s reputation suffered when Bradbury said publicly that Lacey’s wife, Supervisor Susan Lacey, may have a conflict of interest because her husband contracts with the county to defend clients who cannot be represented by the public defender’s office.

“Essentially, you have accused me of having a ‘no-show’ job with CDA, which could result in unjust enrichment to me, if true,” Lacey wrote.

Bradbury said Lacey works on a monthly retainer and would get the same salary for handling fewer cases if the Board of Supervisors cuts the district attorney’s office budget.

Lacey said in the letter that he is paid per case and receives “no monthly retainer or guarantee.”

On Tuesday, Bradbury asked state Atty. Gen. Dan Lungren for a formal opinion on whether Supervisor Lacey should vote on matters relating to the budget of the district attorney’s office.

Bradbury would not address the issue Thursday. “We believe he misperceived the intention of the request for the opinion,” said Special Assistant Dist Atty. Donald D. Coleman, who researched the matter for Bradbury.

The request for an opinion from the attorney general “is not a reflection on Mr. Lacey or the supervisor,” Coleman said. “It’s an issue based on the factual reality that Ed works as part of the CDA contract.”

Lacey has worked for Conflict Defense Associates for three years, but neither Bradbury nor Coleman would explain the timing of the request. Supervisor Lacey said she would abstain from votes regarding Bradbury’s budget until the ruling is issued.