Terence Hallinan
District Attorney
City and County of San Francisco

June 12, 1997

Press Release

District Attorney Terence Hallinan announced this morning that JOHN GRIFFIN of San Francisco has been taken into custody, having been charged with two counts of voter fraud, Elections Code, Sections 18560(b) and (c). The charges relate to voting more than once and voting under an assumed name in the June 3, 1997, election, for ballot initiative including the stadium referendum (Propositions D and F).

The arrest followed a Director of Elections investigation that was referred to the Office of the District Attorney on Monday, June 9, 1997. The Director of Elections must certify the election to the Board of Supervisors and the Secretary of State. As a result of widespread publicity surrounding the election, and insinuations of vote fixing by stadium opponents, the investigation was immediately undertaken. At this time, it is not believed that the defendant is or was part of any conspiracy or that the defendant acted other than on his own initiative. The District Attorney was directed by DA Investigator Ken Poehlman. The DA continues to be in communication with the Director of Elections regarding the ballot initiatives to protect the integrity of the democratic process.

Back