Activist Nativo Lopez threatened with jail by judge

November 23rd, 2010, 1:50 pm
Martin Wisckol, Politics reporter

Pro-immigration activist and recalled former Santa Ana schools trustee Nativo Lopez was told by a judge Monday that he’s going back to jail if he doesn’t follow through with an order to see a prosecution psychiatrist.

Lopez is facing eight voter fraud charges related to changing his voting address from his Santa Ana home to the Boyle Heights office of Hermandad Mexicana Latinoamericana, a groups he leads, in 2008. He is alleged to have voted in L.A. County despite still living in Orange County.

Since being charged in June 2009, he has been jailed twice, and repeatedly conflicted with the court over concerns with his mental health. A previous hearing had been delayed until Monday because Lopez had been uncooperative with the pyschiatrist and was given another, according to district attorney spokeswoman Jane Robison.

But by Monday, he still hadn’t seen psychiatrist, said Assistant District Attorney Juliet Schmidt.

“The judge is giving him one last chance to be interviewed him or she will remand him into custody next time because as a condition of bail, he has to obey the court’s orders,â€