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SLO ad exec arrested for threatening an officer

July 13, 2011

Jeff Lind

Prosecutors in Santa Maria have filed a flurry of felony charges against a San Luis Obispo marketing executive for allegedly threatening a police officer, a charge partially refuted by video tape of the incident available on KCCN.tv.

Jeffery Lind, 55, was at the Santa Maria courthouse when he spoke with an officer who had arrested his son for driving under the influence, said KCCN.tv. Lind said the officer made his son take a breath alcohol test 25 times.

Both Lind and Guadalupe police officer Robert Ortega agree that the following exchange occurred:

LIND (walking toward Ortega): “Oh, you’re Ortega.”

ORTEGA: “Yes, I am.”

LIND: “You’re the officer who arrested my son. You’re here for court today?”

ORTEGA: “Oh. You’re Lind’s father.”

LIND:  “Yes. Thank you for arresting my son.” (In his report, Ortega asserted the comment was made “sarcastically.”)

At this point, Lind’s and Ortega’s versions of events differ sharply. Lind would later report in a sworn affidavit that Ortega then said, “Thanks? Really?” And Lind responded, “No, you made him blow (take a breath alcohol test) 25 times.”

Ortega claims he “became fearful” of Lind who he said began threatening him, jabbed his finger at him and yelled in his face.

According to Lind, he said, “Justice will prevail.”

According to Ortega, Lind said, “And you got something coming to you, too, pal.”

Ortega later reported that he “felt threatened by this as he was sitting down.” He said he “then advised (Lind), ‘You just made a threat to a police officer.’”

Footage from security cameras in the courtroom foyer appear to refute at least some of the allegations now being leveled by the officer and Santa Barbara County district attorney’s deputies.

Lind has been charged with resisting arrest; conspiracy; dissuading a witness; attempting, but failing, to commit a crime; and attempting to file a false or forged statement. He’s free on $200,000 bail.

Find the complete article by Daniel Blackburn and the video tape at KCCN.tv.


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danika said Uncleusa; Spoken like a true relative of Officer Ortega!


I have absolutely no doubt Uncleusa is a relative of Ortega


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One more thing that doesn’t make sense here are 2 of Lind’s quotes from the KCCN article.

He claims that he said “Justice will prevail.” He then claims that Ortega’s reaction to that was anger and that Ortega said “Want to bet?” Now what kind of a response would that be from an officer regarding justice? It sounds much more like a response to “And you got something coming to you, too, pal.”


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Now what kind of a response would that be from an officer regarding justice? It sounds much more like a response to “And you got something coming to you, too, pal.”

———————

“And you got something coming to you, too, pal”–is way to vague and ambiguous without more to be a crime. The video doesn’t add more, it takes away. End of case.


What are you the word police?


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“What are you the word police?”


Just trying to use some logic…but it’s a lost cause, I guess.


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Something you might not know is Officers keep microphones in their breast pockets of their uniforms. Oh no Lind sounds like you have something coming to you pal.


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Again, attorney Dave Richards from Arroyo Grande won a default judgement against Ortega for beating the &%$# out of two of his clients case number #MC 53235….anybody else have any FACTS they would like to discuss?


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Truth I looked at this case and it was thrown out due to the frivolous nature. No money was ever collected by Richards. They attempted to claim Ortega beat up two people, wow is he super man. No sounds like someone was attempting to get paid for BS. Richards took this case because he had no ambulances to run after that day.


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Disgusted, you hit the nail on the head. that’s exactly right, no officer would react with “you want to bet” from a “Justice will prevail” comment. Who in their right mind would react like that? The comment that was made must have been “you have something coming to you too pal” . That was what the officer reacted to not justice will prevail. Sounds like Mr. Lind you just got caught in your lie. Now the truth has come out, this all makes sense. As for you oholic you have no idea what you are talking about you just got told you backed the wrong horse.


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Hey, you deleted the police report and all the comments between the 15th and 17th.


Kind of takes the fun away when you sensor out history.


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I deleted four comments clustered around a broken link to nowhere, what fun you thought you had never was. Perhaps Dan will report at his website his linkage attempt here was a fail.


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Here’s the working link to Lind’s arrest report. It pretty well debunks everything Officer Ortega is claiming and calls into question the vitriolic reaction by the Santa Barbara County DA.

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=1-Yt38–E3BqTGGRxPGdzVipx9W84qR7iw8y8Sc656Q7WkMHhZMOd13xJEQUk&hl=en_US&invite=CJal4LkP


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Dan Blackburn


I speculate (flip flop) suspiciously on both pro and con when there is nothing solid to go by.


Thank you for posting something more solid to go by.


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AGAIN OFFICER ORTEGA DID NOT WRITE THE REPORT IT WAS TAKEN BY THE SANTA MARIA POLICE DEPARTMENT. PEOPLE NEED TO GET THEIR STORIES STRAIGHT. AND LOOKING AT THE WHOLE REPORT ADDED TO THE LINK IT LOOKS LIKE LIND WAS LET OUT ON HIS OWN RECOGNIZES. SO HE HAD TO PAY NO BAIL, AGAIN PEOPLE WHO ARE MISINFORMED.


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dude, you don’t have to shout.


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Well I am retired and need to talk LOUD so you youngsters can hear me, or is it me that needs help with his hearing.


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Perfect


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Ortega is an Officer not a Deputy, again people not knowing what they are talking about.


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…and he was wearing BLACK socks, not navy blue. You’re right. Some people just really miss the important stuff.


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Thanks for posting the report Dan,


Hum, It looks like Uncleusa is correct about the bail. Lind was released on his own personal recognizance. It looks like someone initially got over zealous and placed a high bond on Lind 100K/50K but then an intervening authority authorized his release on a promise to appear (probably after they viewed the evidence).


It is also clear beyond question that Lind did not get in Ortega’s face and yell at him or point his finger in Ortega’s face. Ortega made a false statement and while he may have managed to get a buddy to arrest Lind, it’s quite clear that it was initiated by Ortega, for the pleasure of Ortega and on the gross exaggerated misstated facts from Ortega. Lind needs to file a civil suit and also demand Ortega’s release from public duty for “a lack of confidence”, if no other reason.


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You got em Cindy, go girl, I have been out for a while, but Lind in no way shape or form threatened anybody, he is a much smarter man than that anyway. Ortega needs to climb back in the jar and be served up to a jury with some chips, puts his hands behind his back and pulls up his belt, what a joke, Lind could of knocked him on his ass with a grandma punch at that range, Ortega turns his back on Lind three times, anybody who fears harm and takes his eyes off or let’s a man get close to him without taking action while fearing for his life, well they might as well work at Wall-mart where it’s a little safer, he should be the Mall Cop without a gun for a while.


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Although no one is reading here anymore….well, except you and me, I wanted to point out my thinking again. Lind is not smart or he wouldn’t have approached an officer that arrested his son in the courthouse. Did you read the police report? I think it’s very relevant that Lind says that Ortega reacted to his purported comment “justice will prevail” with the “You want to bet” comment. What cop would have that response? As for the threat, if it’s true that Lind is a sovereign citizen, his threat should have been taken very seriously. If you’ll read the New Times articles of the last 2 weeks, you’ll get a better perspective on Lind. I don’t know either party, and you may, but it will be interesting to see how this is resolved in court.


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Your right about that , but there is no law against thanking a cop for arresting a son, that could of killed some one. Watch the video I am a Martial artist and Ortega, if really threatened should have made the arrest at the moment and if he resisted, use his great police tactics to overcome his opponent, ( instead of turning his back on Lind), who if really agitated could have successfully gained the upper hand, if Ortega was trained it was along time ago. Remember these words, ” Justice will prevail ” in short the charges will be dropped, but the son will fry in hotter grease than ever now, thanks Dad, both children Lind and Ortega should get a time out without pay and nothing more, show me one drop of blood and I would change my mind.


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I’m enjoying your respectful discourse first off. I think the thanks was sarcastic, according to Ortega. It’s my guess that Ortega wasn’t worried about violence at that location, but considered the threat for a later date, because I believe the sovereign citizen status that may pertain to Lind can be threatening to law enforcement. You may be right about the charges, though I wonder about the later charges that occurred after the courthouse meet with Ortega. The New Times articles give a window into the sovereign movement, and it’s pretty significant. The 77 million dollar lawsuit by Lind causes me grave concern as to Lind’s motives and justification. I think we’ll both be interested in the outcome here….


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burger there is a glass display that is on the wall and you can see a reflection to the rear. I checked and saw where the camera is and the location of both parties. Its like looking in a mirror to the rear, so no get the story right it looks as if Ortega can see in the glass behind him dummy.


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ok, game back on now that you’ve supplied the police report. Read and learn people. It’s going to be a reality check.


First, let’s correct some errors. There are only two counts, both misdemeanors and the guy was released OR. Where do you people get the 3 days in jail and 200k bail? I knew that made no sense.


Getting to the heart of it, all you people speculating about Lind doing things outside the video——Nope. Wrong. Reade the police report. It really is that incident on the video. And as suspected, the cops are in a world of hurt on this one. The cop said Lind moved in and stuck his finger in his face. This is entirely contradicted by the video. The only time Lind raises his finger, he’s ten feet away from the cop and the finger points away from the cop at the court room, never at the cop. Furthermore, the cop’s demeanor both during and after the incident completely contradict his statement that he felt threatened.


And this whole business about Lind being agitated? Please. Grow up. There’s no law against being agitated. I’m agitated just from reading all the below irrelevant comments about the guy’s kid and about how the guy had it coming to him and about how Lind must have done things off video.


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“First, let’s correct some errors. There are only two counts, both misdemeanors and the guy was released OR. Where do you people get the 3 days in jail and 200k bail? I knew that made no sense.”


Unless the reporter here is totally off-base, the additional charges and bail occurred later, as in the courtroom, which has been stated by others. There were only 2 charges and 100K bail on this report.


“Getting to the heart of it, all you people speculating about Lind doing things outside the video——Nope. Wrong. Reade the police report.”


Again, the police report states the original charges. The others had to follow from a different altercation.


“There’s no law against being agitated.”


But there is a law against threatening and dissuading a witness. Unless you have super powers, you can’t know what was said by Lind.


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“But there is a law against threatening and dissuading a witness.”

——————————

Why do you state the obvious? Do you even see that it gets you nowhere?


“Unless you have super powers, you can’t know what was said by Lind.”

——————————-

It’s real simple. Watch the video. You don’t have to know whether he said justice will prevail or you got what’s coming to you because either of them prove him innocent in combination with the video. There is no law against telling the cop he has something coming to him or he’s going to get his without being in his face and pointing finger which was alleged and now proven to be a lie. End of case.


Furthermore, the 100k bail thing was not signed and the OR release was. He was OR’d–it’s a nothing case to begin with.


By the way, justice will prevail and you got something coming to you—-don’t feel intimidated? Neither did the cop. Watch him walk away on the video.


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“Why do you state the obvious?” Hoping you’d get it this time, in answer to your question about the other charges.


“either of them prove him innocent”-one is a threat! Btw, who proved a lie?


“He was OR’d”-because he met the criteria for release.


Believe what you want, Choc. I happen to disagree, and if I’m PROVEN wrong, so be it, but your logic is not convincing to me.


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Looks to me Lind lied about him paying bail to get out, what a liar he was or d makes you really question his story.


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1967, I was working for LAPD as a technician in their communications division on the send floor. I met an LAPD officer (Mike-a nice guy) assigned there because he had stopped Jimmy Rogers for DUI and let him go because he was a celebrity.

A short while later after the stop Jimmy Rogers was in a serious TC, he later sued the LAPD for not arresting him!

During a break at the center, one of the LAPD officers made a comment to me and said “Mike” had no guts, he should have arrested Rogers or anyone else no matter who it was!


Lind may be a little like Jimmy Rogers, the rich and powerful, he could “F” you either way!


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Yet, these rich and powerful people chose to live in our town among down to earth people, and start to “F” it up in a continuum from whence they last were, and the legacy of the rich and powerful continues to flex.

And some say they are religious and church going people (Anything to use or protect their interest or preserve their powers-same as politicians)?


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I too am from the late 70s and know what you are talking about you think you are doing the right thing at the time. But later find you made a big mistake. Thats how it was in L.A. at the time.


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Greeting/ Welcome Uncleusa

Not too many left from our generation.


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Willie you are correct not too many left. It was one of the best generations. Have a good one willie.


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My generation was the best though 50’s and early 60’s. Beginning of R&R, father always knew best, most women were home taking care of the kids and very few couples were breaking up. We could leave the house and not lock it, run around the neighborhood at night and play hide-and-seek, forget the keys left in the car, and get smacked in school if we acted-up. Ah, the good old days.


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The whole thing is a non-event. When it finally gets to court, the DA will squeeze Lind for some kind, any kind of guilty plea. That’s their game; pile on bogus charges and intimidate until they get a ‘conviction’. It’s a scam and a sham.


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A police officer fearful because someone pointed their finger at him. What would he do if it was a weapon? Faint?


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California Assault and Battery Laws at a Glance


1. What is an Assault Under California Penal Code 240 PC?

The California crime of “assault” takes place when you perform an act that is likely to result in the application of force to another person. There is no requirement that an assault must actually result in a violent or forceful act upon another3, only that you


1.attempted to commit such an act, and


2.had the ability to do so.4


Originally enacted in 1872…and unchanged since then5…California Penal Code 240 PC is a misdemeanor.6 Prosecutors typically charge this “simple assault” crime when the alleged victim doesn’t suffer a significant injury.


.

.

Knowledge is Power, People…


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What’s with the wandering finger, all the numbers here and there. Can’t be a typo, what’s up?


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Wearing Lind’s shoes

I would consider what my son have to say and the BAC that affects his behavior.

As to Officer Ortega, I would expect him to explain the facts to support his treatment of my son to me as a “parent”.

If he talks/ stereotyping to me like an A.S. it becomes a separate fight, I would be like Mr. Lind.

If he talks to me as a “parent” I would simply say thank you, my son pays a high price for DUI believing Ortega may have save his life or another.

There are people out there that feel they and their families are expectant of special treatment because they have wealth and power or a member of the good old boys.


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Willie, this was a more coherent post from you than normal.


I think irregardless that I will no longer read them.


You’re all over the place, this time coherent or not.


If you are the Willie from SLO that calls Dave, why not proof-read what you write before you send?


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Right on, we all make some typos but Willie’s stuff is so hard to read (typos, poor english etc) that it usually isn’t worth the hassle.


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I guess you’ve appointed yourself the blog police. At least you didn’t call Willie a “dunce.” Why not just skip his comments without the insults? Maybe it makes you feel like a bigger person?


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Letting errors go by is as bad as committing them. Willie has every right to post but his literary performance is dismal and just as I said. If you think it is fine for americans to butcher their language you have that right, as I have mine in protesting that. If anyone is insulted by me pointing out what a travesty it is for people to slaughter their language then look in a mirror for the culprit.

A great governor of California once said, “if we continue to accept excuses for failure, failure is what we will get”. In light of the unsuccessful terms of his successor, Arnie, Gray Davis looks pretty good.

So, unhappy with my unhappiness with failure (to write, type, make sense), what say you now?


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I say the rules on this blog are to not insult, belittle other members that choose to contribute. Willie contributes in his own way, maybe not perfect. Do you feel the same about undocumenteds and other non-English speakers too? If you feel like it’s up to you to correct the grammar/spelling of others on a media blog, I really won’t say what I want to. I see he hasn’t contributed since, so maybe you were successful in discouraging him. Sad…..

As for Gray Davis, we will suffer more and more for the deals he made and the horrible job he did. And no, Arnold was no better.


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It isn’t just up to me, its up to all of us to ‘form a more perfect union’, do those words ring a bell to anyone? Like I said, we should always strive to do a little better. To not be slobs, wasteful or wicked. I consider sticking my neck out to correct wrongs is way better than the self serving and smug attitude of those who criticize me for being judgmental. Just how bad do things have to get before even Disgusted stands up for what is right? Who knows?


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“Just how bad do things have to get before even Disgusted stands up for what is right? Who knows?”


I stood up for “what is right” when I called you out for your frivilous criticism of Willie. I think common decency tops grammar and spelling.


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If it was a moral issue I can see being judgemental. Willie makes sense to me, why knock the guy? You seem to be such a hot dog. I might be wrong but I remember Willie saying at times he has a medical problem that he takes medicine for to help in his communication. Leave the guy alone. I think he paints a good picture with his words,

CLEAR ENOUGH FOR YOU!!!


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Your use of the word “irregardless” makes me think that you should more carefully check your own less-than-limpid prose before posting.


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Heh, I was thinking the same thing. Oh the irony.


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I’m missing how the majority of you here contend that Lind has been unfairly treated based on this video. Since there’s no audio, we don’t know that Lind is innocent of threatening or attempting to dissuade Ortega. He certainly is agitated judging from his body language and of course by the situation of his son, no doubt. But, from there, the additional charges appear to have come after the video. For example, how can any of us know if he resisted arrest? We didn’t see him being arrested. How did he act in court? Did charges come from that appearance? We can’t know about the conspiracy charges etc. I think way too much emphasis has been given this very limited exchange in the video.


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Disgusted… you raise a valid point. Most of us don’t know what happened afterwards when Mr. Lind was being arrested. It certainly is within the realm of possibility that when Mr. Lind was informed that he was being arrested, he reacted angrily and did something that could be construed as “resisting arrest”. But, this is the kind of episode that we (law abiding folk) should fear with all our might, if it is just as it appears. What started as a verbal exchange in a courtroom lobby ended up with serious felony charges for a citizen. So, I am just trying to put myself in Mr. Lind’s shoes. Let’s say someday I lose my cool and I tell a policeman to F$%^ O$$ because he starts writing me a ticket for crossing the street outside a crosswalk. He is deeply insulted by my lack of respect and tells me that he might arrest me for disturbing the peace. He puts his hand on me and I pull away instinctively, and now I’ve just earned resisting arrest charges. At this I am so upset that I tell him what a POS I think he and his department are, and I add some crazy gibberish that he construes as terrorist threats. Next thing I know, I am spending many days in jail because I can’t make the several hundred dollar bail that the judge sets. While in jail, I fail to follow some of the rules, and additional days/weeks are added to my jail stay. Sound far fetch? Spend a few months in Syria or Mexico for example, and you will hear many such stories. The point I am trying to make is that there cannot be ANY tolerance for miss abuse of power, no matter how much of an a$$hole Mr. Lind acted like, or the circumstances of his kid’s DUI. I hope that the media follows and reports the outcome of this case.


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slo,

I also am hoping we hear more about this case as it moves through the system. It’s interesting on so many levels. I get where you’re going with your scenario, and it’s not at all farfetched. I learned a long time ago not to cross a cop with foul language or resistance because it only bodes badly for the citizen. At the same time, I’ve done ride-alongs and can’t believe the c**p they have to put up with, and abuse that comes from those you would least expect. In addition to the lack of evidence we have on this tape, I also can’t imagine what Ortega or the others have to gain from falsely accusing Lind. I appreciate your take, and also hope for an honest resolution


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I can’t tell you how this made my friday a better day. Jeff Lind is well known for being a blowhard and overly aggressive, and shame on him for getting in a cops face. 1 blow or 25 the kid still registered above a .08 and that’s HIS problem as a parent and not the Cop’s fault. Of course, that’s just like Jeff…..an egomaniac who blames his crap on others.


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None of your assertions should lead to the ghastly behavior of the stinking cops and mouthpieces and judges that all had a hand in this travesty. You dislike Lind, that’s OK. But take your personal feelings out of it and look at the facts, this whole thing stinks.


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At this point it seems like arrogance exist on both sides.

But again, the whole thing started with Lind’s son DUI.


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One is starting to wonder about your the endless jibberish about the dui charge. So what? This is a bout a rougue and wimpy cop who somehow got the other cops, DA and judge to throw the book at a man who was just TALKING. What are you missing? What’s the matter with Willie an others who excuse this travesty by mentioning little side lines?


Its all the Golden Rule, everything is. I wonder how the ‘throw the book at him’ people here would like it if they were in those shoes-just TALKING to a cop and you end up in a pile of trouble. The armchair cop apologizers really amaze me.


It doesn’t matter if Lind said harsh words, waved his arms or did any other non contact things. Even if he had punched the cop out it would not, should not, lead to these heinous charges and penalties before trial. Bail is ONLY for those who might flee, ONLY FOR THOSE WHO MIGHT FLEE. So why 200 grand? Penalty, guilty before trial. Bull. All bull.


Fascists, all of them down there.


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“Penalty, guilty before trial.”


That’s exactly what you’ve done to Ortega. Without the audio, how do you even claim to know all of the facts. You criticize the “apologizers”……..I don’t get the ones here who think they have enough evidence to convict the cop. Time will tell, and hopefully justice will prevail, whatever that is in this case.


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What? Did Ortega get charged with a crime? Did he spend 3 days in jail? Did he have to come up with 20,000 dollars to post a 200k bail just to be free pending a trial?


Absolutely nothing has happened to Ortega. Get a reality check.


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“What? Did Ortega get charged with a crime?”


Yes, by many on this blog…..charges of lying, needing to be sued, lose his job, lose his house, abusing power, should lose his pension, is a new(not so)/bad officer, should go to jail, etc. If you don’t think these charges are unrealistic considering the lack of evidence within the tape, then so be it, but please don’t volunteer for jury duty.


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“What? Did Ortega get charged with a crime?” Yes, by many on this blog

—————–


Now you’re just being ridiculous. This is a message board. It has no power to charge anyone with anything. This board didn’t put anyone in jail for 3 days. This board didn’t make anyone give up their life savings of 20,000 cash to get out of jail. 1/3 of this board is defensive of Ortega. Another 1/4 is offensive to Lind.


Get a reality check. Try 3 days in jail yourself, try being accused of numerous crimes. Try posting 200k bail. Try dropping another 30k on a defense attorney over that nothing video. Then, after you’ve experienced real life, come back and opine whether comments on a message board are the same thing.


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You miss my whole point, choc. Hotdog was reprimanding the “cop apologizers” on this blog. I pointed out to him that he’s guilty of the opposite. We’re talking about assumption of guilt, and you’re off on a different tangent to do with arrest, bail etc.


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Again Lind was OR’ d no bail money out of his pocket. If you still think Lind had to bail out look it up its public record that he was OR’D another lie from Lind that he had to make bail, wake up people.


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Lind’s behaviors constitutes the whole reason that the intimidating a witness in a court trial law exists, at this point Lind should not have gone up to the officer because he is about to testify on charges filed on Lind’s son. and read the other comments to let you know that his bail was set extra high because of Lind’s ridiculous and outrageous outburst in the courtroom after his son was found guilty. he pissed the judge off and made himself look like an idiot yelling we don’t respect the judgement of this court. IDIOT! i understand that Lind’s son represented himself in court, you know the old saying, he who represents himself in court has a fool for a client.. and i understand that Jeff Lind too is representing himself, so what does that tell you?


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Finally someone who understands. You must really know Jeff Lind and have hit the nail right on the head. Thumbs up and good for you.


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