Issue: February 16, 2012

At first, the juror one of twelve imagined

the Sacramento gang shooting case would be fairly

easy to decide. But 43 days later, when the

forewoman handed the jury's final verdict to the

judge, the same juror felt as if he'd been

through a heavyweight fight with eleven

opponents, all of whom were determined to get him

to change a not guilty vote to guilty. Local

writer Kevin Mims tells his story in this week's feature.

In 2010, the Supreme Court ruled that

individuals, unions and corporations could give

unlimited amounts of money to political action

committees, not candidates, mind you, for

independent campaigning expenditures. So, what

did this mean, exactly? If moneys speech, then

people with more money get more speech, summed

up one campaign finance scholar. Or, in other

words, its open season on buying an election.

SN&R looks at PAC contributions from Golden State

and Sacramento residents in this weeks

Frontlines section. Also this week: Bites chews

on charter reform, Nick Miller breaks down the

city parking operator candidates, and Christopher

Arns asks why California can't make more renewable energy from poo-poo.

Sacramento often lags behind other cities in

culinary trends. But when it comes to coffee,

it's on the cutting edge. Becky Grunewald reports

on the city's exploding independent coffeehouse

and roaster scene in the Arts&Culture section.

Also this week: Mardi Gras party suggestions, a

Philly cheese-steak standoff, love for Frank Zappa and the candy man cometh.

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