By David M. Greenwald
Executive Editor
Fresno, CA – Supporters for Douglas “Chief” Stankewitz held a prayer circle and then a press conference Monday morning. The evidentiary hearing is expected to wrap up this week, possibly as soon as Tuesday afternoon.
“This has been incredibly difficult,” said Curtis Briggs, who appreciated the love, support and prayers. “I believe that we’re getting a fair hearing for the first time in about four to five years.”
He said, “The judge—I believe we’re getting a very fair hearing. I believe that we’re getting treated about as professionally as I’ve ever been treated by a judge, and that’s really important for us. We don’t know what the outcome will be, but we know that we were able to give Chief an opportunity to see the truth and see witnesses for the first time since he’s been incarcerated.”
Attorney Marshall Hammons read a statement from Chief: “I’m thankful for all the supporters, the prayers, the sweat, and communications from the community helping me achieve my freedom. I’m thankful to this court for giving us the opportunity to have this hearing to let the truth come to life with all the support and prayers. I’m looking forward to being free soon. In Freedom, Chief.”
Alexandra Cock added, “I just want to say that your report has meant so much to us on 
the journey. Many of, we’ve been at this for over seven years. We have had to get over many hurdles, but we have managed to do so to get to this day or to get to this two weeks. And I think it’s for all of us, it’s very healing to have people get up and talk about what really happened and if they didn’t do their jobs to bring that out.”
During the hearing, there was a series of brief witnesses.
Former Sheriff Margaret Mims testified that she received a text from Judge James Ardaiz (retired)—who had been the original prosecutor on the Stankewitz case.
She then messaged the attorneys for Stankewitz because she located the text from Ardaiz.
The text indicated that Ardaiz wanted to view the case files, as he claimed he needed the file for an interview in January 2021 for a documentary.
Mims said that she responded that they would pull the records, but the current DA told her to stand by.
Mims will now be recalled another time to testify on additional messages that she located.
Taylor Long, the PIO for the Fresno DA’s office, testified that the “thorough investigation release” that she released was based on conversations with DA Steve Wright, and she relied on him for the quote and did not conduct her own investigation.
Michael Koop, the director of the Sheriff’s Forensic lab testified that there was never a conversation about retesting the gun.
But Danielle Isaacs, an investigator for the DA’s office, contradicted that, saying that there was a conversation and a meeting about the gun; however, they decided not to test gun.
Amythest Freeman, now a judge as of March 2023, was a Senior Deputy DA in Fresno from 203 to 2022. She testified about the 14 boxes the Stankewitz team wants to be able to examine.
She claimed no interaction with Ardaiz, and that she believes the boxes to be DA work product, not evidence.
The attorneys had raised this issue when the evidentiary hearing opened last Monday. The attorneys are concerned that there is discoverable material in there, not just work product and transcript.
Judge Harrell will now need to go through the boxes to see if there is anything he needs to turn over to Stankewitz’s attorneys.
