Gina Tenorio / Times Staff Writer | Posted: Thursday, June 5, 2003 12:00 am
After three days of testimony, a Superior Court jury has acquitted Lompoc attorney Gary James Dunlap of witness tampering, conspiracy, perjury under oath and preparing false documentary evidence.
The jury on Tuesday rejected all six counts filed against Dunlap, including allegations that he had threatened a witness and forced her to change her testimony against a client, Frank Campos, who was accused of inflicting corporal injury on his wife.
"We believe the evidence we presented was very strong," said Deputy District Attorney Gerald Franklin, who prosecuted the case. "But I guess the jury did not see it that way. Obviously we/re very disappointed."
As part of the investigation, the FBI elicited the cooperation of Barbara Buontello, mother of Agustin Salas Jr., who was arrested in June 2002 on charges of possessing 28.5 grams of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
Buontello wore a wire during a discussion of her son/s case, trying to engage Dunlap in an extended conversation, according to court documents. The aim was to record Dunlap/s alleged willingness to commit perjury.
Dunlap said the acquittal was vindication because he believes the charges against him were in retaliation for his work to prosecute abuse of power within the District Attorney/s Office.
"Abuse of authority is my specialty," Dunlap said. "So I don/t engender a lot of friendship among the authorities. I think that the D.A. got an opportunity to /get me,/ didn/t give it a lot of thought and they dove in."
Dunlap said he is not sure what he will do now that he/s been acquitted. The indictment forced him to close his Lompoc-based office and had made it difficult to accept any clients.
"It/s been a financial hardship," Dunlap said. "What they did to me is a travesty."
There is irony for Dunlap, who now feels his case serves as documented misconduct on the part of the District Attorney. In the future, he may look into possible violations committed against his civil rights, he said.
* Staff writer Gina Tenorio can be reached at 739-2217 or by e-mail at gtenorio@santamariatimes.com.
June 5, 2003