CHARLES P. GILLINGHAM (August 30. 1989 – December 14, 1998)
Charles Gillingham was the 27th Sheriff to hold office in the history of Santa Clara County. Appointed to the Office of Sheriff by the Board of Supervisors on August 30, 1989, he soon gained the endorsement of the voters by winning the election to the office in November of 1990. Sheriff Gillingham was re-elected by the voters to a second four year term in June of 1994.
Sheriff Gillingham became Sheriff 7 months after Joshua’s death, he was re elected to the office in November 1990, the same month the Sheriff Department called me, they told me they were reopening the case, Sheriff Gillingham and at the time Under Sheriff Laurie Smith sent Homicide Deputies to my home and shared information with me about the night Joshua died that I did not know, I was interviewed about the years of abuse, our complaints about The Sheriff’s Department’s misconduct over the years, the refusal’s to investigate Joshua’s death. After gathering all the information Sheriff Gillingham and UnderSheriff Laurie Smith without explanation stopped the Homicide deputies from communicating with me.