[CA] After Ex-CHP Andersen's rape, making terrorist threats, false imprisonment and cruelty to animals charges were dropped...

...[Deputy DA John] Quinn reminded the jury of the wife's claim that Andersen threatened her by saying if she called the police, she "could be dead before they get here"... Andersen was found guilty of felony assault with a firearm and dissuading a witness, and misdemeanor battery on his wife and one of his children...

FORMER YREKA CHP OFFICER GUILTY OF TWO FELONY CHARGES
Siskiyou Daily
By Pat Arnold
Mon Mar 02, 2009, 09:16 AM PST
Yreka, Calif. - A Siskiyou County jury found former Yreka CHP Officer Darrel Andersen guilty of two felony and one misdemeanor charge last week, and found him not guilty of several other charges stemming from his arrest in late 2007.
Andersen was found guilty of felony assault with a firearm and dissuading a witness, and misdemeanor battery on his wife and one of his children. At the time of his arrest he was also charged with rape, making terrorist threats, false imprisonment and cruelty to animals for injuring the family dog, though the jury found him not guilty on those counts.
At trial, Andersen testified and became emotional on the stand as he denied accusations against him. Deputy DA John Quinn told the jury in closing argument not to be played a fool by Andersen because he was lying and "fake-cried" on the witness stand. Quinn accused Andersen of brutalizing his wife for 23 years and "spiking" the family dog like a football in a fit of anger. Quinn reminded the jury of the wife's claim that Andersen threatened her by saying if she called the police, she "could be dead before they get here."
Defense attorney Joe Gazzigli described Andersen as a 24-year veteran of the highway patrol with thousands of arrests. Gazzigli said Andersen had no prior criminal record and no complaints on his record for excessive violence.
"All kinds of people testified that his wife had a lot of emotional issues and they did not believe he did it," Gazzigli said.
Andersen lost his job as a California Highway Patrolman last year when a restraining order was issued as a result of these charges. The restraining order prevented Andersen from possessing any firearms or ammunition. The CHP determined Andersen could not perform his duties as a CHP officer without a weapon and he was terminated.
After hearing testimony from 10 witnesses and viewing numerous exhibits and video tapes, the jury deliberated for two full days. After the verdict was announced, Gazzigli said he was disappointed in its decision. Gazzigli told the jury in closing argument that this was a simple case of who to believe, Andersen or his wife. Gazzigli said at one point early in deliberations, the jury sent a question to the judge asking what they should do if they did not believe either Andersen or his wife. Gazzigli said Friday if the jury did not believe Andersen's wife, Deputy DA Quinn had not proved his case beyond a reasonable doubt and Andersen should have been found not guilty of all charges.
Andersen is scheduled to return to court at the end of March for sentencing. Gazzigli said by that time, he and Andersen will have had time to go over trial testimony and the jury verdict and determine what their next move should be.
A phone call made to Deputy DA Quinn seeking comment on the jury's decision was not returned. [LINK]