By Deb Murphy
Today, Dawndee Rossy turned down the settlement offer of eight years in state prison made Wednesday by Inyo County District Attorney Tom Hardy. Rossy is on trial for allegedly embezzling $1.5 million from the county Department of Health and Human Services Public Assistance Program.
The trial has been continued until February 22, allowing appointed Judge Phillip Argento time to research a legal issue that was brought up Thursday morning.
Hardy and defense attorney David Evans agreed to a stipulation, but Rossy did not agree. The legal issue is whether a stipulation could be accepted by the court if both attorneys agreed but the defendant did not. He told the court he had run into a similar issue once in the last 30 years and needed time to do the legal research.
Hardy read portions of the stipulation into the court record, identifying 13 individuals, living either out of the area or out of state. The stipulation is that those alleged victims did not receive assistance from nor did they live in Inyo County during the time frame the crimes are alleged to have been committed.
If Argento rules that the defendant has to agree, Hardy will have to make arrangements to call those witnesses. “While arranging to bring in the witnesses,” he said, “we may need more time” beyond February 22. Hardy also withdrew the settlement offer.
Guess what Roy? There was no paper trail! Nothing, zilch, zero!! Now what?
Maddawg….no paper trail ?…..are you following the same Rossy case as the rest of us are here ??
Why are we still paying extra taxes for a hospital ( Southern Inyo) and paramedics? Why are we fined for other people’s thievery? Is this so they have something to steal? We want justice not apologies. An apology is not an accountability. This is a widespread problem in our local… Read more »
Good for her! I do not know if she is guilty or not. I know how lazy detectives can be. And, I am really questioning the convictions of these women over the last few years over white collar crimes, and yet your friendly neighborhood pedophile in Crowley Lake, Joe Walker… Read more »
Maureen, I wish I could “like” your comment more than once. I really question
the general population thinking they are civilized.
Joe Walker is out? Seriously?
Wondering, Yes. With a mild slap on the wrist- to me it magnifies the
disparity between various civil crimes and the twisted felony
committed by walker.
In all my years of investigating hundreds of embezzlement and fraud cases I always loved it when questioning a suspect, I would ask then how they could explain the huge amount of money they were depositing in bank accounts, buying luxury items, credit card bills in the thousands, trips to… Read more »
Hi Roy, I am in San Diego right now dealing with my mother’s death. Since I am administrator of estate, I need to pay bills .One of the bills is from Health and Human Services. I have requested an itemized statement from Health and Human Services, and they refuse to… Read more »
Wish I could help you but I have never had a investigation that concerned health care. If you are referring to Medicare type claims I know they are very very slow…I just got in the mail yesterday a Medicare statement from services rendered 9 months ago… If you should recall… Read more »
Thank you for your reply, Roy.
But, what if the money was spent on drugs?
Health and Human Resources is federal. Why is this being treated as a misdemeanor? A family affair ? These things happen in Inyo County. A continuing problem.
These are felony crimes not misdemeanors
Make her wear a sigh around her neck, and stand on main street, and face the public, and try to pay back the money.
Gee Lower Inyo, its almost like she has family in the Bishop justice system? But what do I know?
Trouble…..Don’t know about that,but the way our Justice system works nowdays,little wonder why crime runs rampid in the bigger cities and Nationwide…usually not much consequences for ones actions…lawyers able to plea-bargin down to nothing….just the other day watched a forensic files where a guy killed a girl,found guilty,sentenced to 35… Read more »
I’m glad she is taking her case to trial, and she should. Maybe the truth will come out about what is really going on in Inyo County. Your county officials wont tell you, and even if they did, most of you would believe whatever you hear. I have respect for… Read more »
You bring up some good points Hailey. I believe our county is one of only a rare few that actually does not let our grand jury get involve with criminal justice. Giving our DA way to much control over our justice system in my personnel opinion.
Hailey…..or maybe it’s just continuing to put off the inevitable (if she is “allegedly) guilty..like what’s been going on with this case for the past two or three years…..if I were innocent of a crime,what I would do is want to go to trial quickly,clear my name,and get on with… Read more »
Tinner- if I said something that is not true please correct me. If your comment is about your perception of my comment, we’ll then your providing nothing to this discussion of any substance.
I still believe we should only cage the violent.
Hey Trouble – I’m curious to know what you think the consequences or punishment should be for someone who, if found guilty, embezzled this much money? Obviously (well, hopefully obviously) the guilty party should have to re-pay the amount stolen plus interest. But what else should happen to them in… Read more »
Glad you asked Curious. First off please keep in mind that I am only talking about none violent crimes. Personally I dont see any good out of locking up or as I call it caging people to supposedly ” pay off their det to society “. Hell we all pay… Read more »
Curious….there would be a bevy of crimes allowed in “Troubles world” allowed with no jail or prison time to worry about……burglary and breaking into homes,as long as the burglar is lucky enough not to break into the wrong house when someone might be home and wake up during the break-in… Read more »
Bernie Madoff’s sentence came out to 3 days per million dollars. 150 years total.
Hmmmm continued…..surprise surprise surprise….
She is making Inyo County spend even more money….
Forget about our jail system, make them Pay it back.
If she could live for 200 years, she STILL would never be able to even make a dent in the debt she has created. Once she does her prison time and she’s off parole or probation, there”s nothing more they can do to her . That’s the reality, sorry to… Read more »
I agree Rick. But my way ,at least she would have to pay back some of it . Your way we pay all of it. Who’s really getting punishished ? The girl with one point five million ?
…..and here come more delays…now I’m thinking more lake late 2016 or early 2017 before anything gets resolved,whether it’s guilty or not guilty… maybe even longer.
Its apparent that there is a lot more to this case than meets the eye.
Get your popcorn ready. I have a suspicion this could open a Pandoras box for the county of inyo.
First of all she didn’t admit to what they allege. The D.A. took the the admission and turned it into 1.5 millions Here how the judicial system for works. 1. Arrest 2. Arraignment. Judge asks you to say guilty or not guilty. She says not guilty 3. Preliminary hearing 4.… Read more »
Warpaint, where would the world be without you? Get off yourself.