Patton v. County of Kings

857 F.2d 1379 Joel E. PATTON, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. The COUNTY OF KINGS; Robert Maline; Roland Gonsalves; Larry Donaldson; Tim Buckley; William E. Allen; Eugene M. Avila; Thomas E. Dowd; Curtis C. Gelton; Caspar L. Garcia; Evelyn Hetjonk; Thomas E. King; Doris O. Lotton; Renee M. True; Ward L. Williams; Dora Cardona; Michael S. Grahan; Evelyn A. Lowe; Arlene Steele; Louis Killian; Betsy A. Hansen; Alice June Kessler; Jenevee E. Nicholes; Joan L. Bullock, Defendants-Appellees. No. 87-2871. United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit. Argued and Submitted Aug. 5, 1988. Decided Sept. 30, 1988. Benjamin L. Ratliff, Fresno, Cal., for defendants-appellees. Irving Berger, Long Beach, Cal., for plaintiff-appellant. Appeal from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California. Before KOELSCH, FARRIS and WIGGINS, Circuit Judges. FARRIS, Circuit Judge: 1 On June 26, 1984 the Kings County Grand Jury began an investigation into the alleged misconduct of Joel Patton, the Corcoran Chief of Police. On April 23, 1985, the law committee of the Grand Jury issued an interim report, and on June 26, 1985 an accusation for removal from office was filed. Eighteen counts of…