City Council demands removal of Judge Cara Hutson

The city council also approved letters to be sent to State Senator Susan Rubio and Assemblyman Freddie Rodriguez, asking them to consider the impacts recent legislation has had on law enforcement and communities.

Deputy Cordero was killed on Dec. 29, 2022 by William Shae McKay, who had been released on $500,000 bail despite being convicted in November 2021, for false imprisonment, receiving stolen property, evading a police officer, and making criminal threats which gave him his third strike. When he was found guilty, his bail was set at $950,000 and Judge Hutson reduced it to $500,000. The San Bernardino County District Attorney’s office requested that McKay be held without bail.

“Judge Hutson demonstrated negligence and a lack of discernment by granting this violent individual bail,” Mayor Eunice Ulloa said during the meeting.

According to the letter, Judge Hutson was aware that McKay had two previous strikes and could face a sentence of 25 years to life for his third strike, giving him no reason to return to court for sentencing and incentives to resist arrest.

“Her decision to grant him bail instead of immediately remanding him to custody is the definition of recklessness,” according to the letter.

Mayor Ulloa requested approval of the pre-written letters during the mayor and council reports portion of the meeting. “I think it’s very important we start taking a stand on these issues,” she said.

The council also approved a proclamation to express its support of law enforcement and sadness in the loss of Riverside County Sheriff’s Deputies Cordero and Darnell Calhoun to be presented at a future Riverside County Board of Supervisors meeting.