LAKEPORT — A Sonoma County man accused of attempted murder and torture made accusations of his own in a letter sent to the Lake County Record-Bee dated July 7.
“Your article of June 22nd, is the shot that finally has provoked me to break my silence, Mrs. Sweeny,” Defendant Thomas Loyd Dudney wrote. “All through my judicial ordeals, in a society where I am ?innocent until proven guilty”, you and your paper have crucified and convicted, not only I, but my friends.”
Dudney and Joshua Isaac Wandrey of Rohnert Park, allegedly shot, tortured and hogtied Ronald Greiner Oct. 20 at the Lakeport man”s home on South Main Street behind the Record-Bee building.
Twice, retired Lake County Superior Court Judge Arthur Mann found there to be sufficient evidence against Dudney in a preliminary hearing to go to trial on attempted murder charges.
Dudney and Wandrey are charged with premeditated attempted murder, aggravated mayhem, torture, home invasion robbery in concert with another, first-degree burglary, assault with a firearm, assault with a blunt force object, assault likely to produce great bodily injury, serious battery, simple mayhem and participating in the criminal street gang, the Misfits.
Three of the 11 charges carry life sentences. Special allegations that the crimes were committed for the benefit of a criminal street gang, that great bodily injury was inflicted and use of a firearm accompany the charges.
The District Attorney”s Office had filed another case against Dudney and two other co-defendants, Joseph Henri Deshetres and Cheryl Ann Reese, on charges of intimidating a witness and participating in a criminal street gang with special allegations that the crimes were committed for the benefit of a criminal street gang. The charges with special allegations carried a life sentence.
The office alleged that Deshetres, Dudney and Reese conspired in November to intimidate a witness in the attempted murder case against Dudney.
District Attorney Jon Hopkins offered a settlement in June to Deshetres and Reese, which they took, pleading guilty to misdemeanor attempting to intimidate a witness as aides and abettors. Hopkins dropped the charges of intimidating a witness cases against Dudney.
Attorneys have said in court that Dudney and Wandrey are convicted felons.
Dudney”s letter to the Record-Bee continues:
“Nor, do you research the information you are fed in a crooked county ? who”s (sic) judges rubber stamp any and all accusations that come across their bench with or without probable cause ? and a D.A. that stood on a podium of ?I refuse to make deals” prove to be John (sic) Hopkins ?head Gestapo.””
District Attorney Jon Hopkins said court proceedings would test whether the prosecution has sufficient evidence to convict.
Dudney wrote, “? Hopkins” statement ?(They) were dealing with Dudney”s persistant (sic) requests” is an out and out lie!
“I had only spoken to one of my co-defendants of this only once ?and only to give the message to my landlord (Chubba) to get rid of the (alleged) witness, who was living in my room (allowed) and have access to all my belongings ? after my arrest. When I found out she was being spoon fed information by the police and slavish in her eagerness to please the prosecution.”
Sheriff Rodney K. Mitchell said, “We don”t have a resolved case, it”s still pending before the courts. I think the best way to resolve any of Mr. Dudney”s claims is through examination and cross-examination of witnesses.”
Hopkins said he plans to present the evidence from the intimidating a witness case in the attempted murder trial scheduled for August.
Dudney”s letter continues, “I myself would have prefered (sic) the case go to trial, and had I been allowed to refuse the dismissal and face my accusser (sic) as the Constitution insures (sic), I would have.”
“As for the ?Misfits” motorcycle group ? no where and never has it been classified or shown to be a ?gang”, other than police nomanclature (sic) ? and you and your paper continue to slander it as a ?criminal street gang” ? unvalid (sic) and without factual basis.”
Mitchell responded, saying, “Throughout this case, there will be testimony offered by expert witnesses about what constitutes a criminal street gang. I would defer to the jury after that testimony whether or not Dudney”s assertions prevail.”
Lt. David Bertocchini of the San Joaquin County District Attorney Investigations Office testified in preliminary hearings against Dudney that the Misfits qualify as a criminal street gang that participates in violent crimes. If the alleged crimes are true, Bertocchini said the offenses would likely benefit the Misfits by making money off the stolen marijuana and putting “more weight on the patch.”
At the end of Dudney”s letter, he said “Freedom of speach (sic) is one thing ? being responsible for your reporting is another.
“Your reporting has been bias ?and slanted at that ? isn”t freedom of press responsible to inform non-bias ? facts to a free society?”
Dudney also appeared in court Monday for a confidential motion hearing between him, Judge Richard Martin and Dudney”s defense attorney, Doug Rhoades. Dudney had filed a motion for a Marsden hearing to ask the judge to relieve Rhoades as his counsel. Rhoades was not relieved.
Rhoades declined to comment on Dudney”s statements.
Dudney and Wandrey are scheduled for jury trial Aug. 17 and for trial assignment Aug. 13.
Contact Katy Sweeny at kdsweeny@gmail.com or call her directly at 263-5636, ext. 37.
