City of Industry: Genealogies of Power in Southern California

Chapter 15: Burying the Body

231  15 Burying the Body Like in a lousy version of capitalist history, the priorities were ridiculously clear: first the property, then the property owners, then their charges. —Paco Ignacio Taibo II, Pancho Villa: A Biographical Narrative The transcript of a September 17, 1984, telephone conversation between Frank Wood and Roger Haines gives an early glimpse of how the City of Industry was bracing itself for the legal onslaught it expected after Jim’s conviction. Haines, a contractor who had admitted to playing a minor role in the bid-rigging conspiracy, had agreed to secure evidence against his co-conspirators in hopes of receiving a reduced sentence. Wood, the general contractor Jim had befriended in Carpinteria fourteen years earlier, had been indicted for his role in the scheme. After trying several times to speak to Wood (“FW” in the transcript), Haines (abbreviated as “RH”) finally persuaded him to return his telephone call. The FBI had already received a court order allowing it to record the conversation.1 RH: Yeah, good morning Frank. FW: How are you Roger? RH: Good. Hey, Friday in the afternoon there pal, uh, I had to stop by and see my lawyer before I came over, cause I, well, I’m kind of spooked about this whole thing because I don’t know what’s going on. And, we had a good conversation because, you know, Jim, called and he wanted to meet me over there on the freeway with two other guys, never said who they were and scared the hell out of . . . me, and I just want to cover my bases, pal. FW: You mean Jim? 231 232 city of industry RH: Yeah, a couple of weeks ago. He said he and two other people wanted to meet me on the Sixty freeway and Azusa Avenue, and I didn’t know who the other two people were and I still don’t. And before I came to see you I didn’t know what’s going on. . . . FW: Well, I’d rather not talk about it over the phone Roger, but, uh, it’s something pretty god damn serious. And, uh, but I, I, I tried, uh, it’s just a warning, that’s all, uh, it’s uh, what could happen after all of this is over with. RH: Well the thing is Frank, I don’t know, you know, what your indictment reads and all. . . . FW: I know that, I know that, but, uh, in, in your own indictment, I might as well tell you over the phone I guess, but in your own indictment, uh, it said something about uh, collusion, making up bids, and, uh, all of this sort of thing, well, uh, you know, the federal government can promise you all sorts of immunity. . . . RH: Who? FW: The federal government. . . . RH:: Oh, oh, okay. FW: Alright now, and I understand you’re gonna change your plea. RH: You understand that from who? FW: Well, that’s what, uh, my attorney was told. RH: He hasn’t talked to my attorney. FW: Well, I’m real happy if you don’t change your plea. But, uh, . . . I, uh, asked my attorney to call your attorney and uh, let him talk to your attorney about what I’m talking about, . . . and, uh, uh, if the line’s being tapped or not, I, I really could care less now, but, if you change your plea to a guilty plea and they give you some kind of immunity, . . . but, if you, uh, should plead guilty to collusion, uh, rigging bids on those jobs, uh, after all this federal stuff is over, Graham Ritchie, the city attorney, is just sitting on the sidelines there waiting to slap a suit for triple damages [on you]. Now I got this [on] pretty straight dope. Now, now the only thing I’m, I’m saying is, ask your attorney if this is possible, and, uh, I know the in, the indictments there, you’ve got two, four million dollars worth of work, [let’s say] six million, and if Ritchie, uh, does anything, it could go up to an $18 million suit. Now that’s all I’m trying to tell you Roger. I don’t want to, uh, scare you . . . regardless of what happens in the federal thing, you’re not immune from a, a lawsuit from the City of Industry.2 burying the...