Litigation
Aug. 7, 2002
Former City Official Faces Corruption Trial
LOS ANGELES - After an appeal court rejected a claim that the district attorney's office has a conflict of interest in prosecuting her, former Bell Gardens City Manager Maria S. Chacon was ordered Monday to stand trial on a corruption charge.
Chacon, 54, is accused of engineering her appointment while on the City Council. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Samuel Mayerson heard two days of testimony before ordering her to stand trial on one felony count of conflict of interest, Deputy District Attorney Richard Wilson said.
Mayerson rejected a request by defense lawyer Michael D. Nasatir to reduce Chacon's charge to a misdemeanor.
"Maria Chacon is innocent; she has committed no crimes," Nasatir said in a statement issued later. "This is just the first round of a difficult fight. She was a dedicated public servant, and when all the facts come out in court, justice will prevail."
Prosecutors allege that Chacon, who has since resigned, met privately with at least one other member of the City Council to solicit support for her appointment as city manager.
Chacon had voted to fire the previous city manager. She also twice supported a measure to eliminate part of a city ordinance that barred City Council members from taking paid city jobs for a year after they leave office.
Last year, Superior Court David M. Horwitz ruled that the district attorney had its own conflict because its chief investigator, George Stephen Simonian, is a former acting chief of police and assistant city manager of Bell Gardens.
Simonian did not take part in the Chacon investigation, but Horwitz said it created an appearance of impropriety.
In April, the 2nd District Court of Appeal sided with District Attorney Steve Cooley and reversed Horwitz. Creating an "ethical wall" between Simonian and those prosecuting Chacon would eliminate the conflict, the court ruled.
Mayerson, who took the case from Horwitz, set Chacon's arraignment for Aug. 19. Chacon faces three years in state prison and a permanent bar from holding public office.
David Houston
david_houston@dailyjournal.com
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