Jaramillo Lawyers Drop Probe of Leak

Attorneys for fired Orange County Assistant Sheriff George Jaramillo have abandoned an effort to learn who leaked embarrassing information about him that had been contained in confidential notes taken in conjunction with Jaramillo’s criminal corruption case.

Jaramillo’s attorneys blamed Orange County district attorney spokeswoman Susan Kang Schroeder for the leak to reporters last week and had asked Superior Court Judge John D. Conley to hold an evidentiary hearing at which Schroeder would be questioned under oath.

But attorney Jeff Friedman said Thursday that the defense would drop its attempt to prove Schroeder leaked the information because Jaramillo couldn’t afford to pay his legal team to investigate.

“We talked to the client and decided his limited resources need to be focused on defending himself against the criminal charges,” said Friedman.

Schroeder has denied leaking the information. The Orange County Register, quoting from district attorney records, reported Sheriff Michael S. Carona told investigators that Jaramillo had a sexual relationship with Erica Hill, his sister-in-law and co-defendant.

Carona also allegedly told investigators that Jaramillo showed him nude photographs of Hill. Their alleged sexual relationship is not a part of the criminal case against them.

Jaramillo and Hill are accused of illegally using sheriff’s deputies and equipment to demonstrate an electronic device developed by a private firm to disable fleeing vehicles. Jaramillo was a consultant for CHG Safety Technologies of Newport Beach, and Hill managed the company.

Schroeder said Thursday that she was disappointed that Jaramillo’s attorneys chose not to pursue the evidentiary hearing. “I’m pretty confident we could’ve proved they were the ones who leaked this stuff to suit their own purposes,” she said.