Christopher J. Shea, a criminal defense attorney and former Marin County prosecutor, died on Thursday. He was 57. Earlier this week, the seasoned attorney spent two days in a Marin County courtroom representing his client, former San Rafael police officer Daisy Mazariegos, in a preliminary hearing.
It was important that the public not be left in the dark on details of the city’s handling of the incident and follow-up review and disciplinary measures.
Julio Jimenez Lopez took the stand against the two former officers who injured him in a bloody struggle that was captured on body-worn cameras. The officers reported that he resisted them, justifying use of force.
The Marin County district attorney knew that San Rafael police officer Brandon Nail had credibility issues long before he beat and bloodied a local gardener during questioning about an open container of beer, according to an internal police memo.
The city acting under court order following a lawsuit by the Independent Journal has released a trove of internal reports about a bloody confrontation that led to criminal charges against two former officers.