Attorneys for the city of Los Angeles moved this week to block the release of long-awaited depositions of firefighters that could provide a deeper understanding of their decisions and actions in the days leading up to the deadly Palisades fire. The attorneys representing the city in a lawsuit brought by Palisades fire victims invoked a general protective order the parties agreed to in June, which allows any side to designate all or part of any testimony in the case as confidential.
At the Dec. 2 hearing, Commissioner Todd Olsen issued a protective order prohibiting Smith from any in-person, written or electronic contact with the children. When Smith asked the court to consider pretrial release, Olsen asked the state's opinion, and prosecutor Clifford Ross opposed the request unequivocally. "That's a hard no, your honor," Ross said. He directed the court to the probable cause declaration, citing safety concerns, and maintained that a no-bail warrant remained appropriate, given the severity of the allegations against Smith.
"They expelled George Santos, Mike Johnson did. He was Speaker and oversaw George Santos being expelled. Why isn't he doing anything about Cory Mills?" Greene told Axios. "There's clearly proof behind her accusations that a judge is issuing a restraining order. So I would say to Speaker Johnson, this is a serious matter, and it needs to be taken seriously." Mills has previously denied the allegations.
