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Arnold’s attorney accuses city council of retaliation

April 14, 2010

Saying “it’s time to take the gloves off,” the attorney for Arroyo Grande city councilman Ed Arnold held a press conference Wednesday morning to reaffirm his client’s innocence and accuse other council members of “retaliation.”

Ilan Funke-Bilu told reporters that he believes the Arroyo Grande City Council wants Arnold removed because he refused to support the recently proposed Centennial Square Project.

“They are using this as an opportunity,” Funke-Bilu said. “It is politically motivated. What the council has done is B.S.” When asked if he expects Arnold to be removed from the council, Funke-Bilu replied, “Over my dead body.”

Funke-Bilu also announced that he will accompany Arnold to the next Arroyo Grande City Council meeting and address the council directly.

Meanwhile, in a brief court appearance, Arnold pleaded not guilty to new charges of alleged child pornography.

The second term Arroyo Grande councilman already faces five charges stemming from an incident last December involving a female Arroyo Grande city employee.  He has pled not guilty to the original counts. Two more charges, both related to allegations of child pornography, have been added by prosecutors.

A preliminary hearing for Arnold has been scheduled for Wed. May 5, at 8:30 a.m.


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Is it just me or has anybody else noticed that since Mr. Funke-Bilu appeared on the scene of the central coast back in the 80’s, that he has become the Gloria Alred of the Central Coast??


He seems to always (like Gloria) try to show up in the high profile cases.


Wonder if he would work any Pro Bono seeing as no limelight there?


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Actually Funke-Bilu defended a friend of mine pro bono, I dont know what percentage of his clients are pro-bono but he does do it.


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I have to say that I have a former business associate that say’s Funke took his case pro-bono. I won’t elucidate because the case is still pending.


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The Bar rules require all attorneys to take a small number of Pro Bono cases.


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Wow, Arnold will be removed from the council “over my dead body” according to Funke-B. Now that would be the best scenario that anyone could dream of. Taking the gloves off will only divulge more gargage within the Arnold household. How can this guy continue to humiliate his kids and the community that he once loved? This chain of events has gone from unfortunate, to sad, to sick and finally to discusting. Grow up Mr. Arnold and wake up before you destroy what ever remains of you self respect.


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“Wow, Arnold will be removed from the council “over my dead body” according to Funke-B. Now that would be the best scenario that anyone could dream of.”


That kind of a joke is not funny. Attorneys are threatened with and victims of violence all of the time. Let’s be a little more careful and mature.


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Hmmmmmmmmmmm

Is Funke-Blu trying to ploy a change of venue option from the resultant or stir up he’s going to create going before the City Council?


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Like I said below, this is a business strategy. It has very little to do with helping his client’s defense. Laughably outrageous.


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Interesting point Willie but I don’t think a change of venue would make a difference. People are upset that he hasn’t had the good sense to step down from his very public position. It is the right thing to do when someone brings so much distraction and embarrassment. It isn’t an admittance of guilt it’s just good manners and even noble (particularly if you are innocent).

It’s my impression that people are more than willing to wait for all the facts and juries do take their duties very seriously. He won’t get convicted on public opinion, he will get convicted if he is guilty.

I’m inclined to think Juris is probably right in his deduction. He is definitely correct when he say’s this posturing is “Laughably outrageous.” IMO


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The longer you wait or delay, the more stale the memory testimony gets in detail on credibility.

The longer you wait, the more time the attorney have to dream up more defenses and clever cross exam or even create new evidence.

The longer you wait the more stale the DA gets with the case because of other caseload.

The longer you wait the greater the chance of any kind of slip ups occurring and the better the chance to plea bargain.

Meantime, the defendant continues to deny, deny and deny!


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Yes that’s part of where depositions and signed statements come into play. They lock in a persons testimony and it also serves to help them remember later. If they come up with something different or add something substantial they get called out on it by the opposition. That is always a red flag to a jury. Can you imagine what it must be like to bring a person to trial 20 years after a murder? It happens like in the South with the bombing of a church by the KKK that killed several children. In the mean time people who go to trial always deny, deny and deny. After trial some spend the next 30 years in prison while they continue to deny, deny and deny but hey, I hear “patience is a virtue”.


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There won’t be any depositions in this criminal case.


Delays can help or hurt either side depending on the circumstances.


Some of the comments on this thread about defendants in general and their denial of their guilty force me to remind you all of the Innocence Project.


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Lets say hypothetically:

One of the witnesses becomes unavailable because of an unforeseeable accident.

One of his kids may bravely admits to taking the video of the gal taking a shower to save his dad.

Or the wife has a change of heart and delivers weak testimony.

The fires grows weaker.

Losing one or two of the charges could greatly distort the other charges where the proof level is beyond a reasonable doubt.

With time, anything can happen, it’s a better shot to take.

By attacking the city council, he draws attacks or fish for anything he can use to bias any potential support witness the DA may call.

He may not be brilliant, he may not be stupid, but he is zealously creative.

So look for court continuances during the trial.


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I see absolutely no reason why so-called “public servants” shouldn’t be allowed to attend meetings in prison clothes and shackles while they sit mute and have their lawyers speak on their behalf. In fact, I think this is a much more honest and realistic illustration of how the vast majority of them behave vs. their public pretenses.


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Go ahead Funke-Bilu, bash me, nobody will know “who done it” and I don’t care.

All kidding aside, I respect you for doing your job zealously.

But I am convinced that the victim (of her spunk) did not hit herself in the head that severely.

And I don’t believe Arnold’s denial, even with a straight face, he’s had lots of practice doing that.


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Arnold is spooky (in a potential sense) he ventured to the victim’s home at night, equip with the following:

Dressed in all black like Zorro, at a place he had no legible business and also breaking into.

Possessing a gun (Which can easily be used to control by fear)

Club (Which can be used to disable or knock out “silently”).

Not listed are masking tape (typical handcuff substitute) but he can use any household cord to bind and gag.

Whatever his intended purpose was, any household or kitchen item under his control can be used to strangle or kill in the finale.

Maybe he wasn’t able to blackmail this victim for sex because she never took a shower at his place where he could video her.


Hey Funke-Bilu

Have Arnold come over my place and pull something like that! I’ll be needing a homicide defense.


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“Ilan Funke-Bilu told reporters that he believes the Arroyo Grande City Council wants Arnold removed…” well duh!!!!!!!!!!, what would you expect them to want to do with this……guy?

“It is politically motivated. What the council has done is B.S.” was it politically motivating,

to beat up your wife, faces don’t lie, when they are not talking. And what’s up with owning an assault rifle, are you above the common citizen because you are city government, allowed to read and view the innocent, setting a wonderful example for those you govern?

,,,,”Two more charges, both related to allegations of child pornography, have been added by prosecutors.,,,”


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Hahah, Funke-Blu is known for this sort of grand standing. He actually has an excellent reputation for doing well by his clients. In this case I think he made a hugh error unless his plan is to have Arnold resign on his own claiming that he wants to do the right thing by everyone during these difficult times that have fallen upon his innocent ass (sarcasm of course). If not this approach I think Funke-Blu is taking a big chance that there will be a public out cry down in AG. So far the AG citizenry has been polite

and silent about this embarrassment. Funke-Ble just rubbed Arnold all over in their face IMO.


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“He actually has an excellent reputation for doing well by his clients.” Well, it’s actually more like a mixed reputation.


I think that “press conference” was more of a business strategy than a legal one. Grandstanding like this does more to help Ilan’s business than it does to help his client’s defense. This is so Ilan.


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Oh boo hoo! This is retaliation? Right, Funke-Blu. You now have child porn charges now. You might want to worry about that more than refusing to support the recently proposed Centennial Square Project..


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