Baca Backtracks – Withdraws Guilty Plea – Wants Trial

Former LA County Sheriff Lee Baca. – Photo by Terry Miller

Former Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca withdrew his guilty plea Monday to a charge of lying to federal authorities during an FBI investigation into the county’s jails.

Baca’s attorney said that attempts during the morning to hammer out a last-minute plea deal with federal prosecutors had been unsuccessful.

The negotiations had come after US District Judge Percy Anderson last month rejected an earlier plea deal in which Baca’s punishment would have been limited to a maximum of six months in prison.

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