By Donna Westfall – June 25, 2017 -Let’s clean up some loose ends not covered before in previous articles:

Question to Del Norte County Sheriff’s Deputy Clarkson by Defense Attorney Cater – What do you call it when a 14 year old has sex with a 40 year old?  Do you call it an affair?  Officer Clarkson paused and then answered, “I call it a crime.”

Well then who can answer this question? Why haven’t statutory rape charges been brought against Marcus Nash? Did the wrong man get arrested?

At this juncture, one has to ask; who is protecting Marcus Nash?  Answer that question and solve the puzzle.

1. Could it be his mother, Attorney Carolyn Weaver also known as Sasha Upton?
2. Could it be Mercy Ranger not wanting to press charges because she doesn’t want to bring any heartbreak to her “mother,” Sasha Upton.
3. Could it be that no one in our District Attorney’s office or Del Norte County Sheriff’s Office wants to prosecute because of undue pressure from unknown sources since it could lead to Marcus Nash being investigated, possibly arrested,  possibly convicted, sent to prison and then put on the sex offenders list for the rest of his life?

Turning our attention for the moment to the “expert witnesses.”

• As Wes Nunn wrote in his comment, “… the experts paid by the prosecution for a very specific conclusive opinion. What I have “learned” over the years is that “experts” are paid to present a very specific and biased opinion in exchange for money. Lots of it. I prefer to follow the evidence. The evidence establishes she had a sexual relationship with a 40+ year old man and lied to cover it.
• To the contrary, there are countless cases where baseless allegations of sexual misconduct are alleged for collateral advantage. Accepting ‘expert’ opinion as absolute, while discounting any possibility of motives, shows bias.
• So she “suppressed” her trauma by having a sexual love affair with a 40 year old man? I’m not buying it. And the trauma conveniently surfaces when she wants her freedom? I’m not buying it.”

Why should anyone believe the opinion of “expert” witnesses that don’t know the family over the testimony of  friends and neighbors that do know the family?

Now, let’s look at the more blindingly obvious discrepancies  during closing arguments held Friday, June 23

It’s hard to impossible for me to believe that Del Norte County Sgt. Ed Fleshman, foster/adoptive mother Carlene White and Mercy Ranger did not coach or influence those kids either in concert or acting individually.   Mercy was around her siblings during supposedly “supervised visitations” to encourage them to heed her words when conveniently the parents and social workers were not always around.

In the past five years that Crescent City Times has been in existence, I can’t remember any other case of child abuse/rape/molestation submitted through press releases from the District Attorney’s office that I discounted or disagreed with.  This is the one case that in my opinion deserves to be put under a microscope. It looks to me more like a case based on religious persecution of fundamentalist Christians than abuse or domestic violence. I’m personally ashamed of our State Attorney General’s office in the form of Joyce Blair, Peter Flores and Department of Justice Special Agent, Heather Nelsen.

Comparing this case to the Chris Renner case, where his accuser confronted him and Renner admitted his guilt  for:

“…continuous sexual abuse upon a child under fourteen and admitted three special allegations for having substantial sexual conduct with the child, for use of force…” rather than go through a trial.  We ought to look at those who supported him by appearing in court or submitting letters requesting a lenient sentence from Judge Schafer:

2nd District Supervisor Elect, Lori Cowan

Former Superior Court Judge Chris Doehle (Westbrook)

CEO Del Norte County Fairgrounds, Randy Hatfield

plus about 40 more family, friends and business associates.

No one of power, position or influence came forward in support of Bryan Ranger who has maintained his innocence all along.  No one seemed to care that he spent four years in jail until people started protesting at the jail and speaking up at the Del Norte County Board of Supervisors meeting during public comment.

Actually, when Judy Ranger made her 3 minute public comment on April 25th to the Board of Supervisors, Supervisor Lori Cowan scoffed and rolled her eyes. Not only was that unprofessional, but this just goes to show me that her words to me in January, 2017 about children being a high priority to her is one more nail in her coffin of saying one thing and doing another.

And, why didn’t the defense bring up the attempted blackmail of the Rangers over demands of signing guardianship of Mercy to Sasha Upton or else charges of sexual misconduct would be brought and only get worse? And, if the guardianship papers were signed, NO charges would be brought?

A final thought before deliberation starts by the jury at 8:30 Monday morning, June 26th.  As Defense Attorney Cater said, “Being a strict father does not mean being an abusive father.”