D.A. Ends Probe of Candidate’s Child Abuse Conviction

The Tulare County district attorney’s office has closed its investigation into a 1977 case of felony child abuse that became a last-minute issue in a political campaign this month in Inyo County.

The office concluded that a clerical error allowed Ervin Lent to serve only six days of a 270-day sentence in the mysterious death of his month-old son. The case became an issue in the final days before the Inyo County election pitting Lent against an incumbent county supervisor.

Despite news stories revealing Lent’s felony conviction and the fact he served only a few days of his sentence, the evangelist-turned-teacher was narrowly elected.

Don Gallian, assistant district attorney in Tulare County, said a review of the case found that a clerk apparently forgot to file the paperwork that would have put Lent behind bars after an appellate court in 1979 rejected his appeal.

Because Lent’s period of probation ended in 1982, there is nothing prosecutors can do to rectify the error, Gallian said. “It’s very upsetting to us, but there is nothing to do,” he said. “We have no jurisdiction since the probation ended.”

Lent is set to take office in January.