The acclaim, coming right after a jury's guilty verdict, showed the huge base of friendship and support Mark Ridley-Thomas amassed over three decades in office.
A few voices have begun pushing back against that narrative — and the characterization of Ridley-Thomas as a hero or victim.in the 2008 race for county supervisor, said the conviction does not diminish Ridley-Thomas’ legislative accomplishments. But it has tarnished Ridley-Thomas’ overall legacy, Parks said.
while also arranging special benefits at USC for his son, former Assemblymember Sebastian Ridley-Thomas. At the time, Ridley-Thomas was a member of the county Board of Supervisors. Councilmember Curren Price, who also represents part of South L.A, came to the courtroom for part of a day. Prominent public intellectual Cornel West sat in the front row for closing arguments. Cynthia McClain-Hill, whothe five-member board that oversees the Department of Water and Power, also appeared, as did a parade of former Ridley-Thomas staffers.
The defense team went through three items approved by the Board of Supervisors that were at issue in the case, asking Hahn each time: “Did our client, Dr. Mark Ridley-Thomas, pressure you in any way to vote for this proposal?”Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn, here at a news conference in 2019, testified as a witness for the defense in the trial of former Councilmember Mark Ridley-Thomas.
Some of Ridley-Thomas’ colleagues testified that they knew nothing of his dealings with Flynn. Still, the appearances by Kuehl, Hahn and others served a counter-narrative put forth by the defense: that Ridley-Thomas had a record of serving impoverished Black and brown communities and that he garnered the trust and respect of colleagues and staff.
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