Legal News

Future of Duroville at stake in trial before a concerned district judge

By Richard Binder

For more than a year, U.S. District Judge Stephen Larson has rebuffed demands by the U.S. attorney's office and the Bureau of Indian Affairs to close the notorious desert shantytown known as Duroville and displace up to 4,000 poor farmworkers.

He has criticized the government repeatedly for failing to offer any plans for where to put those needing housing if the park closed. He appointed a receiver last year to take over the 40-acre facility and try to rehabilitate it. He also removed park owner Harvey Duro's decision-making authority and suspended his monthly $7,000 salary.

And next Tuesday, he will begin hearing evidence next week to decide whether to close Duroville immediately, shut it down in phases or keep it open with ongoing renovation and repairs. More than 20 witnesses, including tenants, social workers, federal officials and nuns, are slated to testify in the long-awaited trial, which begins Tuesday.

"The bottom line about Judge Larson is that he has been very patient with all the parties involved to come up with a solution," said Chandra Gehri Spencer, a lawyer who is representing some of Duroville's tenants. "I don't believe he will issue an order that is not a solution. He won't leave everybody hanging."

Full story at LA Times.

Full post as published by Legal Pad | LA on April 06, 2009 (boomark / email).