Prosecutors said Michael Nichols was a key middleman in former sheriff Laurie Smith’s illegal pay-for-play gun permit scheme, introducing executives at AS Solution Inc., a company seeking gun permits, to local lawyers and and the Sheriff's Office. 

Smith, who announced her retirement on Monday while the jury was deliberating, faced the charges in a civil trial that had been filed by a Santa County Civil Grand Jury in December. Sentencing in such a case could normally result in her removal from office, but the sheriff's surprise resignation two months before the end of her sixth term makes that punishment moot.

Meanwhile, the latest San Jose Inside Power Poll finds that voters don’t much care about the fate of the former city hall.

The case against the sheriff will proceed because San Mateo County Superior Court Judge Nancy Fineman, in a ruling filed Thursday, rejected Smith’s requests that misconduct charges be dismissed.

Smith, who started with the Sheriff's Office in 1973 and has been sheriff since 1998, blasted attacks against her tenure as politically motivated.

In the latest San Jose Inside Power Poll, the would-be supervisor’s political fortunes have rebounded since a majority of incumbent supervisors realigned district boundaries, making him temporarily ineligible to join them.

Attorney General Bonta announced he is opening a wide-ranging civil rights investigation into the sheriff’s office.

In calling for a better coordinated effort to respond to a crisis in mental health services, supervisors voted unanimously to ask county staff to begin 'systemwide planning' to address mental health issues and shortages in the mental health care workforce.

Celebrated Silicon Valley lawyer Allen J. Ruby readies pre-trial arguments for Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith as her case likely will extend into the 2022 political season.

At first glance, the 19-year veteran looks cut from a different cloth than other candidates—running for elected office for the first time

The state Attorney General's Office cleared Christopher Schumb of two felony charges Monday morning, citing lack of evidence

Calls friendship with Christopher Schumb “a fatal conflict that cannot be ignored” and impediment to fair trial.

Sheriff Laurie Smith snared more than 60 percent of the vote after absentee ballots were released at 8pm.

The order stems from an appeal filed by one of several defendants accused of conspiring to exchange bribes for concealed gun permits

Attorneys for local insurance broker Harpreet Chadha and Apple security chief Thomas Moyer call the pay-to-play allegations baseless.

The charges name Apple’s Thomas Moyer, insurance broker Harpreet Chadha, Undersheriff Rick Sung and Capt. James Jensen.