Judge removes local prosecutors from California salon massacre case

By Dana Feldman and Dan Whitcomb LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A California judge on Thursday removed local prosecutors from the case against an ex-tugboat worker who killed eight people in a 2011 shooting rampage at an Orange County hair salon, citing discovery violations and accusations of misconduct. In recusing the Orange County District Attorney's office, Goethals ruled that the state attorney general's office should take over the case, but the judge stayed his ruling until March 20 to give that office time to appeal that decision. "As the chief law enforcement officer in this county the District Attorney is responsible for the actions of his agents. Orange County District Attorney's spokeswoman Susan Kang Schroeder said prosecutors would meet with California's attorney general to consider an appeal.

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