MISTRIAL DECLARED IN DISPUTED DRUG STING

A mistrial was declared Tuesday in Sacramento Superior Court in the case of
Nicholas Norbert Nottoli, who was nabbed in a controversial undercover
sting involving undercover informant Cherokee Miranda.

Judge Richard H. Gilmour granted the mistrial after Nottoli's defense
attorney, Linda Parisi, argued that a closed-door hearing should be held
dealing with Miranda's personnel file and possible complaints about her
police work.

The hearing is scheduled Feb. 23, and a retrial is scheduled Feb. 28.

Over 18 months that ended in May, Miranda, 23, posed as a troubled teenager
looking for drugs during stings in Galt, Susanville and Yreka. Nearly 100
adults and juveniles were busted.

Though most of the cases have ended in guilty or no contest pleas, Miranda
was not a full-fledged police officer at the time, which has raised
questions about the legality of her arrests.

Miranda, who is now a sworn officer with the Galt police, denies doing
anything wrong or illegal.

Nottoli is accused of selling one gram of crack cocaine to Miranda for $20
in May after Miranda and three Galt High School students went to his house.
His case is one of three pending in Sacramento arising from the Galt sting.