Hermandad Items Returned by D.A.

Computers and records seized a year ago in the investigation of a Latino rights organization were returned by Dist. Atty. Mike Capizzi on Monday, marking the end of an episode assailed by Latino rights advocates.

“This is the last thing that we should have to do with the D.A., so in a sense, this provides some closure for us,” said Jay Lindsay, spokesman for Hermandad Mexicana Nacional, which helps immigrants become citizens and in November 1996 ran an aggressive voter registration campaign.

Capizzi opened his investigation after evidence surfaced that some voters registered by Hermandad had not yet completed the months-long citizenship process. Knowingly registering noncitizens to vote is a felony.

The investigation figured prominently into former Rep. Robert K. Dornan’s claims of voter fraud when he lost to Loretta Sanchez (D-Garden Grove) by 984 votes.

Capizzi said his office identified 632 ineligible people whom Hermandad had registered to vote. Of those, 364 cast ballots in Orange County elections. Most later became citizens.

However, the Orange County Grand Jury chose not to indict any officials or employees of Hermandad, although prosecutors asked for indictments of two key Hermandad staffers involved with the citizenship process.

Capizzi announced in December that he was essentially closing the investigation, although it would remain officially open in case new information surfaced.

The return of the 13 computers and two dozen boxes of records seized in January 1997 came in response to a motion by Hermandad attorney Mark Rosen. Copies of the computer records were first sent to a congressional committee still investigating Dornan’s claims.