Citizens Protest Courthouse Over Corrupt DA Stephan Campbell

By Edward Snook
Investigative Reporter

Josephine County, OR – On March 5, 2007, between 50-60 protestors joined together in front of the Josephine County Courthouse to start a movement against Josephine County’s inept and or corrupt District Attorney Stephen Campbell. Judge Victory Walker and Judge Michael Newman were also a focus of the group who intend on “getting rid of these bad influences on our community.”

Campbell Starts Conspiracy in Biker Case

Stan Strange with fellow protestor

Our first expository article on Stephen Campbell, titled “To Hate Bikers” told of false charges he brought against Stanley Strange II, Louie Pombo and Glen Seybold. According to eye witnesses, on August 27, 2007, in O’Brien, Oregon a vehicle driven by Eric Hill of Ashland, Oregon attempted to run Strange and his partners off the road. When Strange finally pulled off on the shoulder of Highway 199 he got off his motorcycle, walked around Hill’s Mercedes that was reportedly stopped right in the middle of the west bound lane and started shaking his finger at Hill through the open window on the driver’s side of the car. According to eye-witnesses, “Hill quickly rolled up the window trapping Strange’s arm and proceeded to drag Strange down the road for approximately 20 feet.” Strange got his arm loose and immediately crossed 199 to McGrew’s Restaurant and Pub where an employee called 911. The employee also cleaned and bandaged Strange’s arm. According to witnesses, “the bikers waited between 2-3 hours for law enforcement to show up.” Realizing that the police weren’t coming, Strange and his companions rode to Strange’s home.

Visibly shaken, the three indulged in a cold beer, something many people would do given the severity of the encounter they had just experienced. Witnesses at McGrews state that Strange and his companions were drinking ice water while they waited for law enforcement.

Hours after the 911 call and after stopping at McGrews, Oregon State Police Officer (OSP) Joshua Quick arrived at Strange’s home to take a report. Hill had already been pulled over by California Highway Patrol (CHP) Officer Ryan Stonebraker and gave a much different scenario than that of the bikers and the eye witnesses. After colluding and after no investigation whatsoever, Quick and Stonebraker wrote a report slanted in favor of a very dramatic Eric Hill and sent it off to District Attorney Stephen Campbell, who, on October 6, 2007, having done no investigation whatsoever, filed misdemeanor criminal charges against the three bikers. Keep in mind, it was Strange who called 911 immediately after being assaulted, not Eric Hill. And keep in mind that Hill passed the CHP on his way to the coast and the CHP stopped Hill as opposed to Hill flagging them down out of “fright.” We should also note that Officer Quick, has for months had the opportunity to question patrons of McGrews but failed to do so.

Eyewitness affidavits were obtained in the middle of November and delivered to DA Campbell shortly thereafter. Months later and still having not even contacted the eye witnesses, DA Campbell starts his conspiracy with OSP Officer Quick and CHP Officer Stonebraker. On February 15, 2007, Officer Quick provided DA Campbell with a five page, detailed report about this incident (“In Person Interview”), obviously from a direct request by DA Campbell and obviously as a direct result of public pressure provided by the US~Observer. In his escalated report, Quick is now stating that Strange was visibly intoxicated on the evening of the incident. In his original report he simply stated that he smelt alcohol. He probably did smell alcohol as Strange was having a beer when Quick arrived at his house; however it would have been virtually impossible for Strange to have gotten drunk off of beer during the short time he had been at his home. I recently spoke with one of the eye witnesses who stated that Strange had not been drinking when he arrived at McGrews for assistance after he was assaulted.

DA Campbell
According to Campbell, Quick is now stating that Strange admitted stopping Hill’s vehicle in the lane of travel at O’Brien. According to witnesses and the facts, this is a blatant lie. Strange and Seybold pulled completely off the road while Pombo was quite a distance behind them. Hill stopped in the right lane, blocking travel. This fact alone makes all of Hill’s statements and those of his passengers out to be nothing more or less than dramatized lies. If the occupants of the Mercedes were so “shaken” and “scared” as they purport why didn’t they leave the scene instead of parking right out in the middle of a lane of traffic?

Next, Quick dreams up, “The Bikers wanted to project a typical tough attitude through their actions and demeanor.” No wonder so many people are convicted when a police officer testifies (lies) against them. Quick wasn’t at the scene of the incident and he didn’t even question eye witnesses even though he had ample opportunity the night he arrived at McGrews, so how in the hell can he make any truthful statement about the biker’s attitudes? And what is a “typical” attitude for a person who rides a Harley Davidson? I’ll be sure and watch my tax attorney, favorite radio personality and a doctor I know quite well in the near future to find out as they all drive Harley Davidson motorcycles. To further distort and deceive the facts in this case Quick states, “Hill and his passengers would not have been a match for Strange, Seybold and Pombo.” Would these men’s Harleys be a match for a 3,500 pound vehicle Officer Quick? Not hardly.

CHP Officer Stonebraker also contributed to Campbell’s ridiculous little conspiracy by making statements such as, “All three appeared giddy and scared in referring to Hill and his two passengers.” In reading Eric Hill’s “Victim Impact Statement” it isn’t hard to conclude that he must be majoring in Drama at Southern Oregon University. His statement is written like one of Shakespeare’s finest screen plays with very colorful lies added to enrich the impact.

DA Campbell’s Hypocrisy

Campbell stated at a recent public meeting that he desperately needs funding to prosecute crimes. He was attempting to gain support for the upcoming levy, however his actions definitely speak louder than his words. If the upcoming levy passes our county commissioners must take a stand against Campbell and his practice of prosecuting innocent individuals and ridiculous cases. Don’t forget, the infamous “Chicken Case” that made Sheriff Daniel and our District Attorney’s Office the laughing stock of America’s justice system took place and that when each and every false prosecution case for the past ten years took place, DA Stephen Campbell was right in the thick of things at the Josephine County District Attorney’s Office.

Also, don’t forget that when deputy sheriff Shawn Valdez assaulted his girl friend in front of her child (domestic violence), ran into his neighbor’s home drunk, etc., etc., DA Stephen Campbell was right in the thick of covering it up. A few years back when Dusty Fields assaulted Pam Hackett in front of numerous witnesses, Campbell was right there. The fact that our District Attorney’s Office had other counties DA’s assist with some of these cases makes no difference whatsoever; DA Campbell was right in the thick of it, watching injustice and watching our criminal justice system conveniently sweep insider crimes right under the carpet.

DA Stephen Campbell was unconcerned with our tax-dollars when he approached our commissioners asking them for a $10,000 “going away gift” for corrupt Deputy District Attorney Scott Titsler when Titsler was forced to leave the DA’s office. We are told that when our commissioners rejected this absurd plea that Campbell pouted like a little child. When our county spent hundreds of thousands of dollars attempting to falsely prosecute local businessman Mack Williams, Campbell was right in the thick of it.

We could continue on and on and on, but the point is; DA Stephen Campbell is dangerous to our community and he needs to take the lead of his crooked predecessor Clay Johnson and go elsewhere. A short number of years ago a group of concerned citizens picketed the courthouse for nearly one year. By all appearances it looks like it’s time for yet another concerted effort in front of the Josephine County Courthouse. The bottom line is that DA Campbell, Officer Joshua Quick, Officer Stonebraker and Hill and his accomplices who filed false police reports should be locked up in the Josephine County jail to promote public safety.

Don’t miss our next edition wherein we will expose cases of absolute corruption and incompetence concerning Judge Victory Walker, Judge Michael Newman, and more on District Attorney Stephen Campbell…