Pubdate: Sat, 08 Jan 2005
Source: Vacaville Reporter (CA)
Copyright: 2005 Vacaville Reporter
Contact:  http://www.thereporter.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/472
Author: Brian Hamlin, Senior, Staff Writer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

COUNCILMAN MAKES COURT APPEARANCE

Facing felony drug charges following a New Year's Eve arrest at
Sacramento International Airport, a Fairfield city councilman appeared
briefly Friday morning for arraignment in Sacramento County Superior
Court.

Accompanied by his church pastor, 53-year-old Councilman John English
was arraigned before Superior Court Judge Gary E. Ransom on charges of
possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug
paraphernalia.

Free on $3,000 bail, English did not have an attorney present and did
not enter a plea Friday.

Questioned by Judge Ransom, English said he was able to afford a
private attorney, and Ransom set further arraignment for 8:30 a.m.
Jan. 31 in Dept. 61 of Sacramento Superior Court.

The Sacramento County Sheriff's Department reported that English was
arrested about 12:30 a.m. Dec. 31 after security screeners at
Sacramento International Airport allegedly found 4.8 grams of
methamphetamine and a meth pipe in English's carry-on luggage.

Although English has not yet made a formal plea in court, he has
maintained his innocence from the day of his arrest, stating that he
did not know the illegal stimulant was in his luggage. He speculated
that the drug may have belonged to his 30-year-old nephew who, English
said, had been living at his home and had a history of substance abuse.

A councilmember since 2001, English made his case before the Fairfield
City Council on Tuesday, reiterating his protestations of innocence
and reminding fellow council members of his long-time opposition to
drug trafficking in the community.

"The presumption of innocence is all I ask for," he said during the
City Council meeting.

Speaking to news media following his arraignment Friday, English again
denied the drug charge, but said he felt he had been treated fairly.

"Am I being treated unfairly? No. Am I being singled out? No," English
said in a soft, measured voice, adding that his arrest had proven
devastating to his family.

English's pastor, the Rev. James Ray of Fairfield's True Love Baptist
Church, said he had accompanied English to court to provide spiritual
support.

"I think he's a good man," the Rev. Ray said. "His character is above
reproach."
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MAP posted-by: Derek