There were several allegations earlier this week about Santa Ana Council Candidate Jennifer Villasenor’s family – most of my blog team felt that the issue was relevant because crime is such a problem in Santa Ana. A few of our team members objected to an anon post about this, however a pajarito found an article – after much trouble – about one of her brothers, Greg Phillips, aka Greg Villasenor – written by my old friend Larry Welborn, whom I met when I used to work at the Register many years ago. Read on, it is a very interesting, and sad, tale:
Committed against sexual predators
Courts O.C. case illustrates state effort to keep some violent offenders
in mental hospital beyond their prison terms.
By LARRY WELBORN
Published: , 01/23/2002
A convicted rapist from Santa Ana who has served his 15-year prison sentence and believes he should be freed is being held while prosecutors seek to commit him to a mental hospital as a sexually violent predator.
Gregory Phillips’ trial in Orange County is an example of a national effort to detain prisoners who prosecutors believe are dangerous to society, even though they have served their allotted prison time.
But on Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court made that task tougher when it issued a ruling in a Kansas case
requiring proof that an offender has a mental disorder that causes serious problems with self-control.
In the past five years, California and 18 other states have passed tough laws that allow for indefinite hospital commitment of some rapists and other violent sexual offenders.
“If he is released without treatment, Gregory Phillips will likely rape again,” Deputy District Attorney Kathlen M. Harper told a jury Tuesday.
Phillips “lacks the ability to control his behavior. … There is something very wrong with Mr. Phillips,” she said.
But Deputy Public Defender Ramon P. Ortiz argued that Phillips has changed and matured while spending 15
years in custody and is not likely to be a repeat offender.
“He paid the penalty by serving his time, every day that the law allowed,” Ortiz told the jury. “Mr.
Phillips is a changed person from when he was as a child.”
Because of Tuesday’s Supreme Court ruling, Harper requested a last-minute change in instructions to
require the jury to find that Phillips has the type and severity of mental disorder that would make it
difficult, if not impossible, for him to control his behavior.
Nora Romero, a spokeswoman for the California Department of Mental Health, said late Tuesday that she did not know whether the Supreme Court decision would have any effect on the 399 men — including 14 from
Orange County — being treated at Atascadero State Hospital as sexually violent predators.
There are an additional 110 cases pending throughout the state. Romero said the department’s lawyers
are looking into the new decision.
There are more than 1,200 sex offenders confined in 19 states with similar laws who may be affected by the Supreme Court ruling.
In 1997, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of keeping sexually violent predators in mental hospitals beyond their prison terms if they have mental abnormalities making them likely to repeat offenses if paroled.
That decision did not address the issue of the offender’s ability to control his behavior.
Two Orange County lawyers said Tuesday that the new Supreme Court decision may have little effect on
California cases after the opinion is carefully examined.
“All this does is reaffirm what is already done in this state,” said county Deputy Public Defender Alan
Crivaro.
Andrew Lloyd, a lawyer in Orange who represents several sex offenders, agrees that the decision is unlikely
to have a major effect in California.
“The majority really seems to say that common sense is the best approach,” Lloyd said. “It is obvious that some of these people are very dangerous and you don’t want them out in public. But the sexually violent predators are a small number.”
California enacted its Sexually Violent Predator (SVP) law in 1996 as a way to keep some rapists and other
violent sexual offenders off the streets rather than be paroled after serving their time in prison. The statute requires prosecutors to prove that an offender had committed at least two violent sex crimes in the past, that he had a mental disorder and was likely to reoffend if released.
If a jury found all three criteria to be true, the offender would be committed to Atascadero for treatment rather than be released on parole.
Harper said in her final arguments Tuesday after a two-week trial that Phillips, 33, fits those requirements.
The jury deliberated about 90 minutes Tuesday afternoon without reaching a verdict.
Phillips qualified for civil prosecution in the SVP program because he committed multiple violent sex crimes in 1985 and 1986, and because two mental-health experts believed he had a mental disorder and might be a danger to society if released on parole.
He was one of at least 10 children being raised in Santa Ana by his divorced parents. In his childhood, Phillips was always doing poorly in school or not attending at all, according to testimony introduced at his hearing.
He also was subjected to periodic beatings by his mother, according to testimony from his older sister.
In 1985, shortly before his 16th birthday, Phillips started committing a series of sexual attacks that landed him in adult prison on a 20-year sentence. With time credits, Phillips has served his complete sentence, Ortiz said.
The attacks included knocking a 13-year-old girl off her bicycle and forcing her to perform a sex act, and burglarizing a home and raping a woman in her bedroom. Later, after he was released on bail in the first two offenses, he confronted a 31-year-old woman in a church parking lot, choked her, punched her, bit her, threatened to kill her and forced her to commit a sex act.
Phillips first served one year with the California Youth Authority and then was transferred to the state Department of Corrections.
While serving time at Calipatria State Prison in the Imperial Valley, he started exchanging letters with a woman who had been an acquaintance of his mother. Within months, they were married — after the bride signed an acknowledgment that she was aware of the crimes Phillips had committed.
In 1995, Vicky Phillips gave birth to a son. She testified last week that she wrote daily letters to her husband and visited him every weekend, rain or shine. She testified that she ran up phone bills of up to $900.
“How do you explain love?” she said.
Vicky Phillips, who said she earns close to $200,000 annually as a real estate broker, testified that her husband is “the best father I have ever seen.”
She also said she almost divorced him in 1997 after he didn’t get out of prison on parole, as expected.
Phillips had earned a parole date and was about to be released when he learned he had come afoul of changes
in state law inspired by victims’ rights advocates.
There are at least a dozen other SVP hearings pending in Orange County, Harper said.
California followed several other states in enacting SVP legislation in 1996 after a series of victim’s
rights laws allowed judges to give rapists and other sex offenders harsher sentences than ever before,
including some life terms. Lawmakers then turned their attention to inmates who had received lighter
sentences and were about to be paroled.
Phillips could have avoided the SVP hearing had he stayed clean during two brief periods on parole in 1998 and 1999.
During his first taste of freedom, Phillips lied to his parole officer about his whereabouts and was sent back to prison. On h
is second chance, he tested positive for methamphetamine use, and his parole was revoked again.
Because he was back in state prison awaiting a new parole date, he qualified for the SVP program.
Phillips has been in Orange County Jail the past 18 months fighting the SVP commitment.
Register staff writer John McDonald and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Contact Welborn at (714) 834-3784 or lwelborn@ocregister.com
And this is related to the election how?
What exactly makes this so interesting to you at this point in time? I realize it’s your blog and you can post whatever you want, but this act screams for justification.
This is the most disgusting display of attempted campaign influence that I have ever seen.
It provides no relevant information and nothing more than a badly disguised attempt to try to harm Jennifer Villasenor in her bid for Santa Ana City Council.
It will do nothing but cause pain for the entire Villasenor family.
You are truly a first class jerk!
Hey, now! I voted for Tinajero, but I nevertheless think that this probe into Jennifer’s family is OVER THE LINE! Just because she has a brother with a criminal past doesn’t mean that she’s somehow a criminal.
Please, Art, let’s go back to discussing the REAL ISSUES facing Santa Ana. There’s no reason why we should poke and prod at Jennifer Villasenor’s personal and family matters.
Kind of like attacking the Sal Tinajero for his father’s murder.
It is relevant because she is running as the public safety candidate. She has the power to order police to look the other way at her brothers’ unsavory activities. What we need is Jennifer to make a statement denouncing the gang activity of her brothers and guarantee that they are equal under the law like everyone else and not seek special favors for them.
If she does that, she has my vote.
Art,
I am very disappointed in you. This has no bearring on Ms. Villsenor’s qualifications to run for office and worse, you have possibly exposed her family to unwanted scrutny.
In 1953 Harry Truman threatened to campaign against any Democrat who attacked the President’s (Ike) family.
This is a very sad chapter for any family to have to deal with. Shame on you.
I will post my thoughts later this evening.
Claudio
While every family has a black sheep, it can honestly be said that you are to a certain extent who your family is.
This article raises questions about Villasenor’s endorsement by the police association. Many of the west end officers are well acquainted with the address she listed as her residence. The rank and file was not consulted on the endorsement, and apparently the association just rubber stamped the mayor’s choice and didn’t do any background research themselves.
This is only one in a number of issues surrounding Villasenor.
Her lack of contact with the community and then claims that she is a “neighborhood candidate” are simply not true.
The mayor’s earnest effort on her behalf, and the connection to the hit piecess on Tinajero are, at the very least, sleazy politicking for her campaign.
When a respected neighborhood collective asks to interview her for an endorsement, and her mother shows up to speak instead of her, that speaks volume about her regard for those community leaders and the residents they represent.
We can talk about these other issues instead, and leave her brother out of it, but I don’t know that it helps her campaign at all.
denmother, Andrew, et al,
I disagree. I posted an article that is in the public domain. I will leave it to the voters to decide what to do with the information.
Claudio and I had a long talk about this yesterday and I know he is going to post about it later today. Believe me, there are many reasons why this issue is relevant to the campaign. I trust that Claudio will address those reasons when he responds in full.
BTW, why aren’t you defending Tinajero? He is your endorsed candidate! The IE’s against him are just awful and full of lies.
This article was published and appeared in the newspaper. It is a matter of public record. No one has gone out of their way to fabricate a tale about the Villasenor family.
This article may not have been posted, however Gila insisted, on another thread, to produce or shut up. Art accommodated Gila’s challenge.
I personally believe local campaigns should be shoe leather efforts, however Pulido has elevated Santa Ana politics to a six-digit circus. Ms. Villasenor is yet another casualty of Miguel’s zeal to be the city’s El Padron.
Disgusting displays of attempted campaign influences is not new, it dates back to George Washington. Like it or not, it’s a part of the American fabric.
Cheap shot. And absolutely not relevant. It reflects desperation and/or poor judgement. Its in the public domain for him but not her.
Had it been her past it would have been on point. now, it’s just more mud. The few posts incredibly defending this quickly shift to other arguments against her candidacy. They should stay there.
I’m more concerned about the details of the gangs/drugs/murder of Sal Tinajero’s dad. The apple never falls far from the tree and bad seed is bad seed!
Why would the mayor hand pick someone with family ties to the worst type of criminals?
And what is the deal on S Tinajero? Father? come out and says it, or link to it.
lucky the is a G. Collins to vote for in ward 6.
Bladerunner –
The following post needs to be included in this dialogue. It was excerpted from another OJ thread.
Gila Says:
11/01/2006 7:16 PM
Gila quotes …
Anon 2:09 — Do your homework. These aren’t rumors, they are facts. Search the Register archives and the sex offenders website.
Gila posts …
Do YOUR homework and provide a link or the information will continue to sound like rumor. Either way, though, the actions of one’s family members are irrelevant to one’s candidacy for office.
—-
The banter about Jennifer’s brother has been fueled by several sources claiming the article was bogus. Gila asked the anon blogger to provide the link that would dispell the talk as rumor. It’s my understanding the team mulled over the decision to post or not post.
The Villasenor camp initiated the attack campaign tactics against Sal Tinajero. Villasenor has benefitted from Miguel’s fundraising finesse of $30K and Rob Richardson tapped Ware/Madison to donate $20K to Californians United. As you know Californians United is the IE that has sent out three attack mailers targeting Tinajero.
It’s time Ms. Villasenor took off her rose colored glasses. You don’t attack without expecting to be attacked.
Word has it that Mayor Pulido’s real choice for Ward 6, Harvey Dela Torre was pulled when it was determined that Sal was going to win.
The Mayor decided to pull Harvey and insert him into Sal’s seat on the school board.
Richardson,Avila and Palacio will do as the Mayor request or face his wrath.
“Believe me, there are many reasons why this issue is relevant to the campaign.” ?!? That’s the best you can come up with. What issue? And how is it relevant to anything that an article full of inaccuracies was published over four years ago about a man who doesn’t even live in Orange County?
You better be careful how you explain how this “issue” is relevant to Jennifer. I’m sure, as a blogger, you are familiar with all of the recent cases holding secondary internet publishers liable for libel they republish.
I just got in my mail box a mailer from the Santa Ana Fire Department saying they support Jennifer and Tino Rivera. It also says the SANTA ANA POLICE officers have endorsed them. I knew they support Jennifer but was surprised to learn Police now endorse Tino. Congratulations to Tino and God Bless our Police Officers and Firefighters!!!
Harvey would have crushed Sal, as Jennifer will do on November 7!
Exactly how is Jennifer Villasenor responsible for brother’s crimes?
This is an awful thing to post, Art. So what if it’s in the public domain? You can’t post it up and then walk away saying “Hey, I’m not making any judgments!”
Art,
Sal is a good friend and I support him. Californian’s United is a boil on my backside that does more harm than good as far as I’m concerned.
I think it is wrong to attack a candidate’s family unless there is a thoughtful reason that I have not seen in your post.
If you are concerned about member/s of a candiate’s family affecting ability to administer office it is a fair question. In cases where Politics seems to be a family business and all are on the payroll or getting taxpayer funded contracts etc. it is fair game.
Jubal,
I never said she was responsible – go back and read my comments. Look, there are a number of issues here that should be considered, including:
1. Apparently more than one member of the Villasenor family has been terrorizing their neighborhood for years – including multiple felonies. As a council member, Ms. Villasenor will be in a position of influence. We know that Mayor Pulido uses the local police department to investigate his enemies. How do we know that Ms. Villasenor won’t run interference for her criminally-minded family members? Do you recall how OC Sheriffs bungled the Haidl case because of such interference? Even Bill Hunt was alleged to have run intereference on one of the Haidl incidents.
2. The article states that family members pleaded for Greg Villsenor to be released from jail – he was and he went on to commit more crimes, if I understand the story correctly. Did Ms. Villasenor plead for his release?
3. A neighbor of this family told me he is in fear of his life because of the Villasenor siblings. Why are they still terrorizing their neighborhood?
Ms. Villasenor has made crime, safe streets and neighborhoods part of her campaign. As such these questions are relevant.
Now Jubal, recently you defended your pastor when his county commission was questioned after it turned out that he ran interference for priests who molested children. With all due respect Jubal, your pastor belongs in jail, as do the priests who he once oversaw. Your judgment in that matter was deeply flawed so please don’t come here to my blog and preach to me about judgment. Look in the mirror first amigo. Those stories should not have been covered up and neither should this one.
So far there has not been any candidate or supporters of candidates not attacked on a personal level.Directly or indirectly critisized because of association to other individuals considered by some to be questionable of character.It is amusing to now read these same critics being offended.Specially those with political activist backgrounds.Critisism has been all over the road from where you live, who you are dating ,who your friends are ,possible brives to description of body parts.Everyone knows it is all about politics.Those in the arena just have to be proficient in playing the game.Posting to request fair play is not part of the game.The ability to overcome unfair play is what gets candidates elected.
First of all this article has nothing to do with Jennifer’s ability to do a good job. If any of you have questions for her you should try talking to her instead of just making stuff up. If any of you really knew the neighborhood she lives in then you would know that NOBODY is terrorizing the neighborhood right now. I encourage you all not to play telephone with rumors. Jennifer is a bright woman who does have the support of the mayor but can think for herself. If you give her the chance she will prove to you that she is the right person for the job.
Art,
I agree with you. Villasenor knew that being in politics would expose her and her family members. Jennifer is in the world of politics and she needs to learn how to play the game. She attacked her opponent and now that some questions have been raised she has not responded. The fact of the matter is that as a candidate she will be in a position to help her family (gangs, child molester) and that is an abuse of power. How can Villasenor be trusted with our children and our youth? She has not been engaged or involved in our city at all and is not known in our community, has not been active in anything and now knowing her family’s background even though she is not at fault for her brother’s criminal acts, I could not vote for someone who might have helped a child molester. This is not a petty theft type of case, but a serious criminal who have hurt children and having someone who might have helped a predator to be out on the streets is not what I would like to see on our city council.
Anon 25,
we don’t know if Jennifer can really stand up for herself. So far she has not taken a stand or response to the issues raised in this blog. She is partially unknown in our community and you are basically asking for the resident of Santa Ana to look the other side and support her to be in city council. Santa Ana needs strong leaders with experience and knowledge of the issues of our city and Jennifer simply lacks both.
Art,
Thank you for allowing this story to be out there. I will pass it around my relatives and friends so they be inform of the kind of candidate Villasenor cannot be trusted or represent us. One of the major problems in Santa Ana is gangs, now how is Villasenor going to respond if elected to stop this problem when her own brothers are part of the problem.
You know for adults all of you seem very chilidish and un educated. Jennifer does not support gangs, gang violence, or molesters. Anybody who believes that this will make Jennifer not do a good job is sadly mistaken. I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO VISIT HER NEIGHBORHOOD AND SEE FOR YOURSELF THAT IT IS INDEED A SAFE ONE. HER BROTHERS ARE NOT A PROBLEM IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND IF ANYONE SAYS OTHERWISE THEY ARE LYING!!! But if you don’t believe me go and see for yourself. Stop attacking her family it has nothing to do with this campaign. Jennifer is for public safety and not one of her brothers is a threat to that right now. Get your facts updated everyone.
Anon 30,
Your defense about Villasenor lacks facts. IF YOU ARE SO SURE THAT JENNIFER’S BROTHER ARE NOT INVOLVED IN GANGS AND HAVE NOT BEEN A DISTURBANCE TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD GET YOUR FACT STRAIGHTS. PUBLIC RECORDS ARE AVAILABLE FOR SOMETHING. JENNIFER IS FOR SAFETY BUT HAS FAILED TO MAKE A STAND OR ARGUE THE OPPOSITE ABOUT HER POSITION FOR PUBLIC SAFETY-LET’S SEE SUPPORTS A CHILD MOLESTER TO BE OUT OF PRISON…THAT IS ENOUGH NOT TO VOTE FOR HER.
Anon 31,
You need to get YOUR facts straight. I never said that her brothers were never involved in anything but in the past years that neighborhood has been safe check your records or better yet go over there why don’t you. Also where did it ever say that she supported a child molester to get out of prison, tell me or better yet show me proof. You can’t because there is none. I don’t know why an adult would just make up and say a thing like that. Don’t you have any decency as a human being. Everybody should just let her run her own campaign and let the voters decide. You can’t tell me that every political figure in history has had a perfect family. This is nonsense. Jennifer doesn’t deserve this and everybody knows it because nobody deserves this.
Anon 32,
Jennifer decided to run for office knowing that her dirty laundry or her family past would be exposed to the public. Nobody is stopping her for running her campaign at all.
Anon 33,
Yes she did know that her family past would come up but when people get a hold of two diferent pieces of information they start drawing up false conclusions. Yes Jennifer did know that her family would be scrutinized but when people start making up stuff and being rude and just having no respect for a person’s family is where the line should be drawn. So okay Jennifer is running for council and her brothers have been in trouble and then people come up with “Oh my gosh that must mean that Jennifer is all for criminals and supports gang activity, and etc….” And these are the people that start spreading false rumors about Jennifer and her family. We are all human beings and there’s a line you have to cross before becoming an indecent person. If someone has smart and poltical issues as reasons why they are not going to vote for Jennifer then I respect that but if they are going to attack her personally in the completely harsh extreme way like that then those kind of people should not be voting in this election. It is just plain wrong. Everybody has a set morals and values that they set for themselves and I encourage people to stick to them and not toss them out the window just because someone you may not like is running for city council.