You can access the Indictments of the San Francisco Police Chief Earl Sanders and nine other officers here. All ten were in court today and entered pleas of "not guilty." Sanders is on medical leave with pay. The others are suspended without pay. Trial for the Chief and six commanding officers is set for April 18.

Count 5 charges the Chief and six commanding officers with conspiracy to obstruct justice between November 20, 2002. and February 23, 2003. The overt acts alleged in furtherance of the conspiracy ([paraphrased] are these:

Assitant Chief David Robison Robinson allegedly "rejected investigators' requests to interview key officers involved in the initial investigation and to obtain Police Department cell phone numbers and "administrative messages" sent among the department's command staff."

Chief Sanders and Assistant Chief Alex Fagan, Sr. allegedly "removed Lt. Joe Dutto from his post as supervisor of the investigation in January. Dutto complained afterward that his bosses were putting obstacles in his path and that his transfer to the vice squad was punishment for probing too deeply into the Union Street incident."

Deputy Chief Greg Suhr, head of field operations, and David Robinson allegedly "blocked inspectors from conducting in-person interviews with certain officers, instead requiring that the investigators submit written questions."

Capt. Greg Corrales, supervisor for two of the off-duty cops at the Mission District police station and the highest-ranking officer on scene in the early hours of the probe, "allegedly "promoted misinformation" describing the Union Street incident as "mutual combat" and about the "sobriety status" of Fagan Jr., Tonsing and Lee. "

Lt. Ed Cota and patrol Sgt. John Syme who also took part in the early investigation, allegedly "promoted misinformation" describing the Union Street incident as "mutual combat" and about the "sobriety status" of Fagan Jr., Tonsing and Lee," and allegedly "failed to conduct proper police duties." Those included not allowing Santoro and Snyder to formally identify their alleged assailants at the scene, the grand jury said."

"The indictments also detailed actions of Cota and Syme, the lieutenant and sergeant on duty that morning, alleging that they delayed the alcohol testing of the accused officers for several hours. The supervisors allegedly allowed the three police to leave the scene without being brought before the two victims for possible identification. They did not retrieve their clothing, shoes or seize their pickup truck, and the urine test for alcohol was delayed for more than four hours.

Another two counts charge the three off-duty officers with felony battery and felony assault with great bodily injury charges as to Jade Santaro, one of the men they allegedly assaulted. The remaining two counts charge the three with

"felony assault and misdemeanor battery on Santoro's friend Adam Snyder, 23, a bartender who was just coming off shift at the Blue Light saloon and who has said two of the officers attacked him after he refused to hand over a take-home bag of fajitas."

The three waived their right to a speedy trial and no trial date has yet been set for them.

Defense attorneys called the Indictment "weak," "pathetic" and "ridiculous." A spokesman for DA Terence Hallinan later retorted: ''To criticize the indictment is like judging a book by its table of contents."