California court clerk charged with providing search warrant to reporter

Pamela Edwards — a former clerk for the San Joaquin County Superior Court in Stockton, California — was charged on Nov. 13, 2024, with allegedly releasing a sealed search warrant to a reporter a year prior.

In November 2023, sheriff’s deputies searched the home of the Stockton Unified School District board president and the school board’s headquarters as part of an investigation into the official’s alleged misuse of a school district credit card, witness intimidation and other misconduct.

Later that month, Stockton Record reporter Aaron Leathley reported on various details from the search warrant, a copy of which the paper had obtained from the San Joaquin County Superior Court.

A day after the article was published, the Record reported, a public information officer for the court emailed Leathley to tell her that the warrant had been released accidentally and ask her “to prevent any further dissemination of this document by copying, sharing, or using it for further publication.” The sheriff’s office also said at the time that the warrant should not have been released, according to the Record.

A statement from the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office called the warrant “highly sensitive” and said Edwards had violated a court order by releasing it.

“At no time was the warrant ‘unsealed’ and its release may have negatively impacted our investigation,” the statement said. “We consulted with the District Attorney’s Office, and we are in agreement that we could not allow this egregious violation of trust and criminal act by a 27-year veteran of our justice community (who knew better and is held to a higher standard) not to be accountable for her actions.”

Two deputies visited Stockton Record reporter Aaron Leathley at her Stockton home on Aug. 30, 2024, to question her about the release of the search warrant and a “cease and desist” they claimed she was sent. When contacted at the time, a sheriff’s department spokesperson told the Tracker that there was an ongoing investigation.

Edwards was ultimately arrested in November and charged with willful disobedience of a court order, according to a news release from District Attorney Ronald Freitas.

“Violating the sanctity of a Court Order, especially a sealed warrant, is not only an assault on our justice system but puts law enforcement and potential witnesses in harm’s way,” Freitas said. “We will hold all those involved in this case fully responsible for this violation of our courts and our justice system.”

Edwards’ arraignment is scheduled for Dec. 4.