City attorney John Russo was all a-twitter last Tuesday (yes, literally) about the arrest of Javier Quintero, a gang injunction defendant who was apprehended in an alleged gang-mobile. “Gang injunction ‘star’ defndnt found last nite in car w drugs & gang symbols,” Russo tweeted. “Last wk he testified under oath that he knew nothing re. gangs.”
That led to a dramatic courtroom arrest, when parole agents nabbed Quintero right in the middle of testimony, according to Chron reporter Demian Bulwa. Gang injunction opponents balked at Russo for what they called “a stunt,” and an example of racial profiling. Among Russo’s critics is volunteer attorney Yolanda Huang, who is part of a team representing the alleged gang members. Huang, who was with Quintero at the time of his encounter with Oakland police, said the friend’s car was searched, as was Quintero’s house, where police found several red items (red is the color of Norteños, the gang in question). Russo and fellow attorney Tricia Hynes argue, to the contrary, that 27-year-old Quintero was violating the terms of his parole, and that he may of have perjured himself (as Russo alludes in the tweet).
Meanwhile, Judge Robert Freedman postponed the gang injunction hearing, which began after Russo requested a 2-mile zone in which 40 alleged gang members would be prohibited from associating with one another. Under the proposed rules defendants would also have to adhere to a 10 p.m. curfew. The hearing is scheduled to resume on April 4.
