Leak Investigation Too Little Too Late As Pros. Try to Shake Blame? MJEOL Bullet #240 The Santa Barbara Sheriffs Dept. is up to its old tricks, launching an investigation into who leaked the grand jury transcripts to the media. But could this investigation be too little too late, as some observers already think their pals in the DAs office are responsible? Also, a desperate attempt by a tabloid reporter to take suspicion off of her highly placed sources JAN 27 2005 — The Santa Barbara Sheriffs Department (SBSD) has recently announced an investigation into who leaked sealed court documents to the ABC Newss Cynthia McFadden. This comes weeks after the leaks to the Court TV-backed website thesmokinggun and days after the ABC Primetime Live airing of the exact testimony from the grand jury transcripts. Both the prosecution and the Santa Barbara Sheriffs Dept. announced this investigation in a joint statement. Some criticize this move as comical and absolutely ridiculous. They claim to want to find a real culprit but give the appearance that the SBSD and the DA are teaming up to investigate. A great number of people see these leaks as coming from the prosecution. They are the total beneficiaries of these types of leaks. The reason some observers suggest that this apparent pairing is problematic is because if the leaks are coming from the prosecution, the SBSD wont so much as give them a second look during their investigation. Others have bluntly stated they are concerned prosecutors may be trying to cover their asses on this issue. Some case observers have flat out said this selective investigation could be a major PR job on behalf of prosecutors because the leaks may have backfired for them. It is important to note these pro-prosecution leaks also conveniently came after people were coming out the woodwork to give interviews with the media concerning their own run-ins with the family, and info about the familys incredibly shady, possibly felonious past. True, an enormous amount of information was leaked. But some of what was leaked, although salacious, showed blaring holes and illogical stories in the prosecutions case.