One year after Norm Ryan was arrested and charged with taking money from Haven Humane Society, the animal shelter where he once worked as CEO, his criminal trial has begun in earnest.
Tuesday, from morning until late afternoon, 70 Shasta County prospective jurors sat, listened, answered questions and waited inside Shasta County Superior Court Judge Monica Marlow’s courtroom as the game of musical chairs began to determine which jurors would stay and decide Ryan’s legal fate and which were free to go.
Interesting as that process was, many of the day’s most fascinating highlights occurred before the jurors entered the chambers about matters about which they may – or may not – ever be privy.
For example:
• Loose change, mystery donation envelopes and doggie banks:
Shasta County Deputy District Attorney Erin Dervin, representing the People, asked Judge Monica Marlow to allow testimony related to opened, empty donation envelopes Dervin said were found by Haven staff in Ryan’s former Haven office following his April 2 resignation. (A very messy office, added Dervin.)
Dervin elaborated. She said the anonymous notations written on the empty envelopes could lead one to the conclusion that the envelopes were intended for Haven but were intercepted by Ryan – $10 here, $20 there, $100 there – never entered in Haven’s books. She extrapolated that Ryan could have opened the envelopes, taken the cash and nobody would be the wiser. Devin made a similar claim regarding money from the “doggie banks” – collection boxes that sit on store counters to encourage customers to deposit coins.
While Dervin acknowledged that these were “uncharged acts” – she said this information provided “relative evidence” that could show a “common plan” – Ryan’s alleged pattern of taking money that belonged to Haven.
Ryan’s defense attorney, Joe Gazzigli, disagreed, and in fact argued that an audit was done following Ryan’s departure from Haven, and the audits produced no “misappropriations.”
Judge Marlow and Dervin went back and forth on this topic. Although Marlow reminded Dervin that “strong suspicions” didn’t sufficiently meet the burden of proof test, Marlow said she would refresh her memory on the matter before making a final decision regarding admission of the envelope/doggie bank information.
• Porn?
If defense attorney Gazzigli has his way, the unfortunate matter of some graphic photos on Ryan’s work computer will be excluded from his client’s trial. Specifically, Gazzigli asked that images of “Filipino women in undress” discovered on Ryan’s computer by Redding Police Department not be part of the trial. Not relevant. Prosecutor Devin replied that she saw no need to bring up the issue of Ryan’s computer photos, but added the caveat that she might seek permission from the court to broach the subject if that “door” opens.
Want to bet that door opens?
Juror trivia:
Invariably, some of the more colorful jurors were thanked and excused – understandably. Case in point was the woman inclined to mainly believe all law enforcement’s testimony, and the man inclined to not believe any government folks’ testimony, and and the woman who said she could remain impartial – but added that she’d met Ryan once, and, “Well, he didn’t make a good first impression.”
Buh-bye.
Superior Judge
The Honorable Monica Marlow is a study in patience and professionalism; controlled, articulate, modulated, at ease. Nary a raised Marlow eyebrow during any of the day’s jury interviews, no matter how sensational the information. “Thank you for your honesty,” she’d say, time after time.
Personal tales of close encounters with DUI’s, vandalism, one murder, home invasions, assaults, prejudices, worries, concerns. If Marlow was shocked or bored or irritated or tired of repeating the same questions over and over, she never let on.
Ryan’s trial is expected to last about three days. We’ll be there. Stay tuned.
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