CLEARLAKE — An e-mail sent to the Record-Bee from Clearlake City Councilwoman Jeri Spittler”s e-mail address requesting an apology spurred a call to officials.
The e-mail received Wednesday stated as follows:
“Just wanted you to know all charges against my son Dustin Wilson were dropped yesterday in Lake County Court. I hope you are more careful in the future when allowing your reporters to try and destroy some ones (sic) campaign for political purpose. I hope she prints some kind of apology since the whole thing was so devastating to my son”s children and very dirty PD behavior to say the least … for the life of me I can”t understand why you allow this kind of reporting and miss use (sic) of our local News Paper (sic).
Best to you and your family and a happy new year.
Jeri Spiitler (sic), Council Women (sic), City of Clearlake.”
Spittler at first acknowledged the e-mail on the phone with editorial staff and later in the conversation retracted that statement. In a second phone call to Spittler she said, “I always have my e-mail account open and never close it down.” Spittler said someone else in her home may have sent the e-mail.
According to Lake County Superior Court Deputy Court Clerk Leanna Luker, while bail bonds were ordered exonerated Tuesday in two felony cases against Clearlake man Dustin Wilson, 33, the cases remain open and under review by the Lake County District Attorney”s Office.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Bruce Collins is assigned to review the cases for possible filing of a complaint and possible prosecution.
Luker said that by direction of the judge, she contacted Defense Attorney David Markham to inform him that neither his nor his client”s presence was required on Tuesday. She said no future court dates were set in the matter; however, she said it is typical that court dates be combined when multiple felony offenses are pending. She said Wilson has other felony cases pending and should the District Attorney file a complaint, it is possible it could be heard during a previously scheduled court appearance. If a complaint is filed and scheduled for a new court date, she said Wilson will be notified.
Bail was ordered exonerated on a Clearlake Police Department case that alleges that on Oct. 17 Wilson attempted to sell cocaine during an officer-conducted buy-and-bust operation as well as bribe an officer.
The second case stems from Wilson”s Oct. 22 arrest by California Highway Patrol in which Wilson was charged with felony transportation of marijuana, being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and being a convicted felon in possession of ammunition. Bail was ordered exonerated on this case as well, Luker said.
