Embattled Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith has formally denied accusations of corruption and misconduct after being charged by a civil grand jury in December.
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The Santa Clara County Civil Grand Jury formally accused Smith, 69, of seven corruption-related charges. Six of those related to her office's role in a quid pro quo scheme in which two commanders sought political donations for concealed carry permits, while the seventh related to undermining an internal investigation into a mentally ill man's injury sustained in sheriff's custody that netted a $10 million settlement.
"I deny all counts," Smith stated during a court appearance Tuesday morning where she waived her right to a speedy trial, according to the Mercury News.
In the past, Smith has repeatedly denied the charges that she traded favors for concealed gun permits and mismanaged the Santa Clara County jail, blaming the issues on staffing.
"Let me tell you something that has bothered me for a while. I said it many, many times publicly, we are severely understaffed and that's not only a danger to our staff, but a danger to those that we're caring for," she said in a statement.
Smith, who is also the subject of a California Attorney General investigation into alleged misconduct and resistance to oversight in county jails, announced in March that she will retire at the end of her term in January 2023. She wrote in an email to staff that "it would be unfair to the voters of Santa Clara County to force them to make a decision in the middle of a drama not of their making."
If Smith is convicted on any of the seven charges, she will be removed from office.
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