By Allen Payton
Jeff Belle, source Contra Costa County Board of Education
County School Board Member Jeff Belle, who has been charged and is being prosecuted for lying on his ballot statement during his 2014 campaign, was denied a request for participation in a diversion program in July.
In his 2014 campaign ballot statement, Belle claimed to have a college degree, but he didn’t at the time.
In July, he filed a motion to compel diversion. Belled wanted to enter a new Contra Costa District Attorney program designed to divert people from the criminal justice system. However, the DA’s office filed a response and turned him down.
Belle then requested the court to demand that the DA comply with his request, but it was also declined.
A pre-trial conference to discuss a resolution of the case was scheduled, but Belle’s attorney was unable to attend. So, it was postponed eight weeks at Belle’s request, until sometime in late September or early October.
He continues to fight the charge over which he has plead not guilty and faces trial. The maximum penalty Belle faces is a $1,000 fine and no jail time. It’s a fine only misdemeanor.
Attempts to reach Belle for this article were unsuccessful.
For more information about this case, please see the articles here and here.
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