Powerful gay men. Vulnerable teen-age boys. Murder. For years, some prominent local men who led secret lives were rumored to be protected. Whispers surrounding another important man's death prompt the question: Is there really a conspiracy?

Jagels: Questions full of 'malice, innuendo, and false assumptions'

District Attorney Ed Jagels refused a face-to-face, or telephone interview for this story. The Californian faxed its questions to Jagels in late December. He responded on Dec. 30, 2002. Below are the questions and a link to Jagels' response:

Jagels' response to this request

December 20, 2002

Edward R. Jagels
Kern County District Attorney
1215 Truxtun Ave.
Bakersfield, CA 93301

Dear Mr. Jagels:

I am submitting questions in writing per your request.

The Californian is working on stories that pertain to your office, the death of Steve Tauzer and other issues.

1. How have Steve Tauzer's duties been portioned out? Who is picking up what part of the slack?

2. Have you decided who might be stepping into his job as your new assistant district attorney?

3. Do you have a timetable for deciding who might become the new assistant DA?

4. Will you serve out the four-year term to which you were elected in March 2002?

5. You have said Steve Tauzer was exercising his First Amendment rights when he wrote to the court on Lance Hillis' behalf. Obviously, everybody regrets how that situation played out. But do you regret not having spoken to Steve, or regret not having spoken more forcefully, about his advocacy for Lance Hillis in those hearings, and in other situations relative to Lance's problems?

6. Would you do anything differently today with respect to that?

7. Lance Hillis told his cousins that Steve Tauzer was gay. Others have told us that that aspect of Steve's personal life was common knowledge in many circles. Over the course of your 27-year friendship and professional association with Steve Tauzer, did you become aware that Steve was gay?

8. If not, would knowing Steve was gay have changed your position about his advocacy on Lance's behalf?

9. Tauzer's advocacy on Lance's behalf, both in Judge Felice's court and in the Mojave case, might have some people questioning whether there's been some "unequal justice" dispensed here -- i.e., other defendants with similar criminal and addiction issues perhaps would not have been able to avoid state prison for that long. Have you seen any problems in your own office relating to that possible perception?

10. How can you assure the public that the DA's office isn't indulging in "unequal justice"?

11. Robert Mistriel testified at his June 1983 trial for the murder of Edwin Buck that he'd had sexual relationships as a minor with Alfred "Ted" Fritts, Stan Harper and Hurbert "Eli" Elias, among others. By 1983 you were the district attorney. Were any of these men ever investigated or arrested for unlawful sex as a result of Mistriel's sworn testimony? If not, why not?

12. Did the DA's office attempt to obtain corroborating information about the behavior of some of these men, in light of Mistriel's testimony? If not, why not?

13. In determining whether to proceed with an investigation into the alleged behavior of these men, is it significant that Stan Harper was and remains one of your closest campaign advisors, and that Hurbert Elias was a close friend of Mr. Harper's?

14. Rumors about Steve Tauzer and the nature of his relationship with Lance Hillis have dredged up old stories about gay men in positions of power or influence -- Ted Fritts, Stan Harper, Ed Buck -- and their young friends. To your knowledge, were there gay sex parties at Ted Fritts' house at which local men of prominence were sometimes guests?

15. Your name has been mentioned as one of those prominent men in Bakersfield who allegedly either engaged in unlawful sex with minors or helped cover up and protect others engaged in such behavior. How do you answer that?

16. Why do you believe that's such a persistent rumor?

Sincerely,
Robert Price