A follow-up to a story we brought you in July, concerning a Bakersfield police detective fighting to have his unpaid suspension reversed.
Scott Miller was accused of botching a murder investigation so badly, criminal charges could not be filed against the prime suspect.
Now, a Superior Court commissioner has issued a ruling in Miller's case.
The BPD handed down a three-week suspension to Miller in 2009, after then-Assistant District Attorney Lisa Green complained he hindered the prosecution of at least three homicides and one child molestation case.
Miller, in turn, sued the city, seeking to have the suspension overturned.
But, Commissioner Linda Etienne refused to overturn it, citing evidence presented at the hearing that "supports a finding that there were approximately 20 acts or failures to act.. which constitute a violation of the rules of conduct."
"The majority of the allegations had to do with performance deficiencies by Detective Miller regarding his handling of certain investigations in the Crimes Against Persons unit. And, there was also an issue of insubordination where he was ordered not to work any additional overtime until a period of certainty, and despite that order he worked overtime at a DUI checkpoint," said attorney Christopher Hagan, who represented the city and the BPD.
At the hearing, Miller's attorney argued the detective did not violate any specific rules or regulations, and he was doing the best he could under an extremely heavy workload.
Miller is still with the department.
We tried, but were unable to reach Miller or his attorney for comment Monday.
