Nancy Bergeson found strangled in Portland home

Nov. 28, 2009 | KPCC Wire Services

NEWPORT BEACH - The eldest daughter of longtime Orange County politician Sen. Marian Bergeson was found strangled to death inside her Portland home.

Nancy Bergeson, 57, was found Tuesday afternoon lying face down in her dining room by a girl who had stopped by to walk Bergeson's golden retriever.

U.S. News

Bergeson was an assistant federal public defender in Oregon since 1991, and would have celebrated her 58th birthday Monday. Her mother represented Orange County in Sacramento for two decades, sat on the Orange County Board of Supervisors, and eventually was appointed California's Secretary of Education.

Bergeson had kept close touch with her family, police said, and had e-mailed her mother last week, relieved that her defense of a man in a tax evasion conspiracy case had wrapped up Friday after a three-week trial.

``The irony in this to me is she defended people who committed crimes, and she was such their advocate,'' Julie McCormick, Bergeson's sister, said. ``If this person could do something so horrific to her...She would have been probably their best ally, and this person takes her out. That's what kills me.''

Authorities told the Oregonian there was no forced sign of entry, and the house was not ransacked. The front door was unlocked, but investigators were told that was not unusual.

An FBI agent has been assigned to monitor developments., as it is a federal crime to kill a U.S. government employee because of official duties. A conviction can carry the death penalty.

Marian Bergeson is 84 and retired.

ben
2 months, 1 week ago

Was she defending a taxpayer in an IRS case? Ironic that her death came immediatly after her closing arguments.

ibwilliamsi
2 months, 1 week ago

It's sad that anyone could think that she might deserve this for something she may have done as a part of her job. Ben.

Freedomrings
2 months, 1 week ago

Its very interesting that after defending a taxpayer in an IRS case and also making a coment that she was going to "look into this suspicious verdict more closely" that she gets taken out. Could this be possibly by IRS or DOJ officials? Did she discover the facts on how the IRS and DOJ gets a 92% win rate against Fraud cases even if they havent commited any fraud and there is no Claims againts them??? The Fact that anybody,group,legal representation can hold such a high percentage of wins in a legal standpoint is indeed Suspicous in its own. There is always a possibility of corruption in Government when it comes to high liability and large payouts. If anyone Claims anything else, We all better have our rubber boots and shuvels in Hand to scoop away all the Bull Crap!!

Ben
2 months, 1 week ago

There are people out there that make sure the working class has no justice. It has been that way since our fore-fathers step foot on this land. It has graduated into a "you work for me" cesspool.

ez
2 months ago

Unfortunately, It appears like we are living in a society that has labeled the waitress who can't afford to pay federal taxes on her tips a terrorist, while our family wage jobs and decent health care for all have been sacrificed so that the wealthiest few can enjoy indoor ski slopes and refrigerated beaches in Dubai.

After all, when we give away cargo planes full of cash in Iraq and offer "alternative minimum taxes" (actually a maximum tax but minimum sounds better) for the wealthy. we have to get the money from someone who has no power to defend themselves. this makes people like Nancy a threat to the Rational Economic Aristocracy who have opposed Democracy and civil rights from the shadows for all for well over 200 years now.

At this point, any premature finding implying that Nancy's death was not related to her work would logically comprise a statement of complicity and systemic corruption. Much like the Wellstone case.

sorry to all for our mutual loss.

ez

mmm1973
2 months ago

I am so disgusted that someone so inhumane could take a mother, daughter, sister, aunt and friend away from a world that she put her own life on the line for. Someone obviously knew that it was not uncommon for Nancy to leave her front door unlocked, which maybe she trusted too much! But, that doesn't make it right for what took place that fateful night or morning, and reading over everything that she has done for our Federal Government, our community and the citizens in it, she didn't deserve to have her life taken away. It's always the good people that are taken too soon, and the people who don't deserve to continue living, well they are around way too long. My heart goes out to Nancy's family and friends. May she rest in peace.

Upset in Banks

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