OPEN JURY HEARING IN FATAL SHOOTING IS CRUCIAL FOR TRUST

For the second time in a year, the Santa Clara County district
attorney is seeking an open grand jury hearing into a fatal shooting
by a law enforcement officer.

It's the right call. Openness is critical for the public to understand
and to trust the legal system. It's the best way to show the public
that an investigation of possible police misconduct won't be a whitewash.

The shooting death of Rodolfo "Rudy" Cardenas was a case of mistaken
identity. The grand jury must decide whether it was also a crime. The
43-year-old father of five was unarmed and running away from a state
narcotics agent who wrongly assumed he was a dangerous fugitive.

The decision to open what is normally a closed grand jury proceeding
rests with Thomas Hansen, the Superior Court's presiding judge. He
should view this not as an isolated request but as part of a welcome
trend to broader access.