Thumbs Up for Storch

I am surprised and saddened by the controversy surrounding Judge Lawrence Storch. I do not know the judge personally, nor am I involved in any way with the Ventura County court system. I was a juror, however, on a murder trial in Judge Storch’s courtroom. The verdict in our case was the opposite to that in the Todd Love case. In a compromise verdict, our jury voted second-degree murder in a case that the preponderance of the evidence seemed to indicate first-degree murder. When the defendant’s attorney pleaded for leniency, Judge Storch ruled that the jury had already offered all the leniency possible under law by declaring a second-degree murder verdict. In turn, Judge Storch imposed the maximum sentence possible.

During the proceedings, we the jurors found Judge Storch attentive, fair, knowledgeable and impartial. In my opinion, the fact that Judge Storch took a tough stance in one case and a more lenient stance in the Love case is undoubtedly proof of his impartiality rather than his leniency, as the district attorney alleges.

I was very impressed with the judge during our trial. His 20 years’ experience on the bench were apparent and a comfort to me and my fellow jurors. I don’t know how long Mr. Bradbury has been district attorney, but from what I’ve read so far of this controversy, I’d take Judge Storch’s wisdom over that of Bradbury any day.

ANNABELLA DeLORENZO

Thousand Oaks