Nutting wants all charges to be dropped

By Kathryn Reed

Ray Nutting, his attorney and supporters believe the felony and misdemeanor charges brought against the El Dorado County supervisor should be dropped.

Nutting didn’t say a word during his arraignment Monday in El Dorado County Superior Court in South Lake Tahoe. Before the hearing he sat with his wife and cadre of supporters, getting up at times to confer with his attorney, and mostly looking sullen.

Instead of entering a plea, defense attorney David Weiner told Judge Tim Buckley that he intended to file a 995 and a demurrer.

The legal proceedings challenge whether there is enough evidence to try Nutting and essentially ask for the case to be dismissed.

Ray Nutting, back left on phone, with wife, Jennifer, wait with supporters July 22, while his attorney, David Weiner, left foreground, goes over paperwork. Photo/Kathryn Reed

Weiner has until Aug. 15 to file the paperwork. The prosecution has until Sept. 9 to respond to it. Buckley will hear both issues on Sept. 20 in South Lake Tahoe.

“We are aware of the negative impact on the county and related government entities with this case hanging around,” District Attorney Vern Pierson told Lake Tahoe News. “We are doing everything we can to move it along as expeditiously as possible.”

Nutting, 53, faces four felony counts regarding money he received from the state to clear brush from his 350-acre ranch on the West Slope. (His brother owns an adjacent 350 acres.) He is accused of not reporting the money and voting on contracts that affected him monetarily.

After those charges were leveled in May, the district attorney and state Attorney General’ Office filed seven misdemeanor charges against Nutting regarding how he got his $55,000 in bail money. He is accused of taking loans from county employees.

The bail was the subject of most of Monday’s hearing because Weiner wanted his client to be released on his own recognizance. The state said the $55,000 bail should remain in place.

Buckley said the money for the bail should be returned to the people it came from and that Nutting would have until Friday to post a reduced bail of $20,000.