Thread by @meghanncuniff

It’s a beautiful Friday afternoon after a long and action-packed week, which means it’s time to go sit in a dumpy @OCSuperiorCourt courtroom and find out if @PIMCO billionaire Bill Gross is going to go to jail for his Laguna Beach neighbor dispute. Stay tuned for updates! ⚖️🧵⚖️

This is the saga that has showcased Gross’ taste in decades-old TV show theme songs, including “Gilligan’s Island” theme. Today is about whether he violated a court order that prohibits him from playing music in violation of city code or on outdoor speakers when he's not outside.

At issue is what happened during what looks like a very fun night for the Grosses back in July. A video of Amy singing in the swimming pool was played REPEATEDLY during the hearing. (So, so many times.)

Towfiq's lawyer Chase Scolnick actually asked Amy Gross if she could sing on the witness stand like she did in the pool, but Judge Knill rained on everyone's parade and said, "Mr. Scolnick, please move on." (Boo! Hiss!)

The hearing wrapped up last week, and Knill has been mulling her ruling for a full week now. She’s to unleash it today at 1:30 p.m., which by my watch is in seven minutes.

Gross is represented by marquee lawyer Patty Glaser, who made it clear in her approach to witness questioning that she aint here to play.

https://twitter.com/meghanncuniff/status/1440006064347385857

Scolnick has asked for jail time. Glaser is accusing Towfiq of obsessing over the Grosses and says they’re the ones being harassed. We’ll hear a conclusion soon. Stay tuned for tweets.

OK Judge Knill just took the bench, and here we go. She's getting ready to read.

She starts with the restraining order she issued in December against Bill Gross and Amy Gross. Remember: Judge Knill rejected Gross' requested restraining order against Towfiq and ordered Gross to pay Towfiq's attorney fees.

The issue before Knill right now is whether to hold Gross in contempt of court. "Clearly there is bad blood between these neighbors," she said. She thought her order would help, "but clearly we're not out of the woods yet."

She says she has an obligation to maintain respect over the court of which she presides. She's going over the terms of restraining orders she issued against the Grosses in December. Now she's taking us back to that fun July 7 night at the Grosses' Laguna Beach oceanfront home.

"The court has no hesitation finding the Grosses disturbed the peace...and in doing so violated the court's orders," Judge Knill just said. Not looking good for Bill Gross right now!

"While interesting, the decibel level will not control the court's decision," Judge Knill says. She references the body camera footage from @lagunabeachgov's finest. Says she can hear the music, and officers are shouting over the music to try to get the Grosses' attention.

"The video evidence is powerful." Says Amy Gross can be heard yelling and screaming. (Indeed she can be! I will get these videos online tonight, I promise.) Knill says the "Mrs. Gross' behavior borders on erratic." Calls it "blatantly disrespectful and defiant."

Knill says it was not innocent behavior, it was intentional and she's not going to ignore. She says the video of Amy Gross in the pool is egregious. Says Amy Gross lacks credibility, and her explanation for the video is "preposterous." Calls Bill Gross "defiant and contemptuous."

Judge Knill says there's a colossal disconnect between Grosses "self-serving" testimony and what she saw on the videos. "They flagrantly violated the orders because the orders clashed with their will," Knill says.
This is really sounding not good for the Grosses.

Knill notes that even the Grosses' wedding official who was there that night described Amy's behavior as "obnoxious." She says the Grosses must be held responsible for the conduct for which he still refuses to take responsibility. Finds them both GUILTY of contempt of court.

It's not a total loss for Grosses, however. "The court declines to micromanage lawn umbrella placement," Judge Knill says. Says Towfiq's request is petty, and dismisses his complaint about his view. "Two lawn umbrellas on a beachfront property do not destroy it," the judge rules.

Knill says Grosses are prohibited from playing outdoor music. They can enjoy music inside their home during the 20 or so days a year they're at the home. If they want to enjoy outdoor music, they must go elsewhere.

Now, what about the sentences for contempt? Oh no! Grosses' lawyer Patty Glaser is requesting sentencing be postponed. I didn't realize this was possible. Sounds like we won't actually get to find out today if Bill Gross is going to go to jail.

OK Glaser just said maybe we can do the sentencing now. She needs a moment to speak with her clients.

"Our clients would prefer that you do sentencing now, and then we will ask for a stay," Glaser says.
Knill fines Gross $1,000 and orders him to serve five days in jail!!!!

It's official: Judge Knill has sentenced @PIMCO billionaire Bill Gross to serve five days in jail for contempt. But she's allowing him to substitute community service for some of those days, and she's citing COVID conditions as a reason for other exceptions.

Knill says no custody time for any sentence less than 90 days is being enforced in OC. So she's deviating from sentencing provisions and stays three days of their sentences for one year. If no more violations, they won't have to report.

Two other jail days are to be covered by community service by the Grosses. So, Bill isn't actually going to go to jail. At least not for a year.

Bill Gross' lawyer Patty Glaser weighs in on Judge Knill's decision, telling the judge: "We think it is Draconian, to be kind." She's asking for a 30-day stay of order "while we take a writ."

Glaser asks if Judge Knill would consider house arrest instead of her stated alternatives. Towfiq's lawyer Chase Scolnick is against it, suggests the "pay to stay" program at the jail.
"Allowing them to stay in their house would not be punishment at all," Scolnick said.

Glaser reminds us of a couple undisputed facts: "We're not talking about somebody who robbed a bank. We're not talking about somebody who murdered somebody."
Indeed we are not.

Judge Knill says no to house arrest. Says some other stuff about resolving this contentious dispute. "The end game must include peace, harmony and happiness in the parties' own homes," the judge says.

(Amy Gross got five days in jail, too, but her sentence is subject to the same modifications Judge Knill announced. So, no actual jail time, unless in a year there are more violations.)

The publicist for Bill Gross just emailed me this statement from Gross, who's sitting in the row in front of me. It really goes after Judge Knill. "This incident, the judge’s obvious bias, and the enormous amount of wasted time and money on music played..."

I’m still processing the Bill Gross statement above, but so far most remarkable to me is him saying he tried to use publicity to influence the outcome of the judicial proceedings. “We thought she could overcome her bias as a result of this criticism but obviously she could not.”

OK, here is video Amy Gross took of herself and her husband, @PIMCO billionaire Bill Gross, in the swimming pool in the backyard of their Laguna Beach home. "We're outside yes we aaaaarreeee!" As the judge said today, this was crucial evidence in the contempt of court hearing.

Judge Knill called this video from Amy Gross "appalling." "Mrs. Gross testified she took the video as a way of somehow protecting herself. The court finds the explanation preposterous. The court further finds Amy Gross lacking in credibility," the judge said.

Here's another important video. The body camera footage from @LagunaBeachGov police officers. Knill recounted this video when announcing her ruling and added some commentary, describing Amy Gross' "thank you" as "dismissive."

Pardon me: The above video isn’t body cam video from Laguna Beach PD. Rather, it’s video taken by Gross’ neighbor. Carry on.

Here’s a story from my friend @semeryOCR about what went down with Bill Gross today.
“The only relevant facts in this case is there was no police citation issued” for the noise complaint on July 7.
“It ranks below a speeding ticket,” Gross said. bit.ly/3omE3y1

@threadreaderapp Unroll, please. Thank you! 🚀