Orange County DA's Office Finally Acknowledges Jailhouse Informant Program Exists

LOS ANGELES -- After almost three years of denials, the Orange County District Attorney's office finally acknowledged Thursday that the county has a jailhouse informant program. 

Of course, the existence of the informant program should come as no surprise. Assistant Public Defender Scott Sanders has been arguing since 2013 that a tainted snitch network in county jails has existed in secret for decades. In a series of blockbuster motions, the defense attorney unearthed damning evidence that clearly pointed to the program's existence, alleging that county prosecutors and police have violated multiple defendants' rights by illegally obtaining and sometimes withholding evidence gleaned from jail informants.