Records Chief Testifies in Ward Lawsuit

The head of the Los Angeles County records office testified Thursday that 177 boxes containing files from the office of former county Supervisor Baxter Ward were moved to storage nearly a year after he left office in 1980, but she did not know who moved them or why.

Darlene Hudson was called to testify by Ward in the second day of testimony in Ward’s civil suit against Supervisor Mike Antonovich. Ward is suing Antonovich, who twice defeated him at the polls, for defamation over allegations made by Antonovich during their 1988 campaign for the seat representing the 5th Supervisorial District.

Antonovich on at least six occasions accused Ward of destroying or removing files from the office before Antonovich moved into the office in 1980. Unauthorized removal or destruction of public records is a felony criminal offense. Ward was never charged with such a crime.

Rather than shed light on the case, Hudson added more mystery. She testified that the 177 boxes were found in a county storage facility in 1986, but her records do not indicate who ordered the files moved or why.

Hudson also testified that records indicate that all of the boxes were destroyed in 1986 as part of routine destruction of obsolete material.

But in 1989, after Ward had made inquiries, a single box of files was discovered in storage and ordered destroyed. Instead, however, the box was thrown into a dumpster. An anonymous source tipped Ward, who retrieved the box.

Hudson testified that she did not know why that single box was not destroyed with the others in 1986, but said there was nothing improper about trying to destroy the box after it was discovered.

She also said she believes Antonovich was unaware either of the existence of the files in 1981 or that they were destroyed in 1986.

The trial recessed until after the Thanksgiving holiday.