Former Haven Humane Society CEO Norm Ryan’s sentencing has been postponed until Aug. 28 to give a new attorney (his third) time to brush up on the case in the event Ryan decides to appeal.
On that date, the court is scheduled to handle the judgment, sentencing, and if necessary, a motion for a new trial, it was decided on Tuesday.
Last month Ryan was found guilty on all five felony counts against him charging that he ripped off about $1,400 from Haven Humane Society. The jury deliberated about six hours before announcing its decision inside Judge Monica Marlow’s Shasta County Superior Courtroom.
Ryan worked at the shelter for less than a year before he was fired by the board in April of 2008, After Ryan’s departure from the animal shelter, he was the focus of a Redding Police Department investigation which led to the felony charges including identity theft, grand theft and embezzlement by a public officer.
But Ryan has a Plan B.
He has dumped Joe Gazzigli and retained Henry Salcido from Ryan’s hometown of Long Beach. You may recall that John Kucera, Ryan’s first attorney to represent him in the Haven matter, removed himself from that position after months of work on the case, stating via email at the time, “Due to a conflict of interest that arose based on my representation of a prosecution witness, I advised the court that I could no longer represent Mr. Ryan. The case was continued for Norm to obtain new counsel.”
Ryan dismissed Gazzigli shortly after the trial.
When asked for a statement regarding his change of legal counsel, Ryan said via email on Tuesday, “I am no longer represented by Joe Gazzigli and have retained the services of the Henry Salcido Law Group. Mr. Salcido and his associates have the experience and skills I will need as this case goes to the next stage. He was referred to me by a retired Superior Court Judge as one of the best – if not the best – criminal defense attorney in the state.”
Outside the courtroom, assistant D.A. Erin Dervin, the trial’s prosecutor, seemed nonplussed.
“It’s not unusual,” she said when asked for her reaction to the continuation caused by Ryan’s new attorney’s need for additional time.
“Many defendants seek motions for new trials following a guilty verdict.”
Although Ryan’s new attorney, Salcido, was not in court for his client’s ultimately continued sentencing, Salcido’s assistant, Joseph A. Weimortz, Jr., was there on Salcido’s behalf.
Weimortz declined to comment on Ryan’s case, and referred all questions to Salcido.
Background:
anewscafe.com reported when Norm Ryan was found guilty on all five counts.
Click here to read all related stories.
Click here to read the Redding Police summary of evidence.
