California Sheriff Must Face Judgment For Gun Permit Scheme

A former California sheriff allegedly tied to a gun permit bribery scheme can’t escape a jury verdict that removed her from office, even though she stepped down while the jury was deliberating, a state appeals court ruled on Friday.

Ex-Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith’s conviction of misconduct in office bars her from jury service, California’s Sixth District Court of Appeal ruled, so it must be upheld despite the fact that the retired sheriff can’t technically be removed from office anymore.

Prosecution argued that the conviction would keep her from serving as a trial juror, serving on a grand jury, ...