News Scrapbook 1984

San Diego, CA (San Diego Co.) Union (0. 217,324) (S. 339,788)

San Diego, CA (San Diego Co.) Dally Transcript (Cir. o. 7,415)

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Cast~.Hedgecock courtroom drama profiled Opening arguments in Mayor Hedgecock's Sept 19 in the midst of his re-election campaign. crimmal trial are scheduled to begin tomorrow Despite the criminal charges, the mayor easily in the courtroom of Superior Court Judge Wil- defeated challenger Dick Carlson on Nov. 6. liam Todd. According to the indictment, the mayor con- The mayor, who is charged with 12 counts of spired with fonner J. David & Co. principals perjury and one count of conspiracy to violate ancy Hoover and J. David "Jerry" Dominelli campaign and financial disclosure laws, would to launder large amounts of money into be r moved from office if he is convicted on any Hedgecock's 1983 mayoral campaign through of the charges. JX)Jitical consultant Tom Shepard. The county grand jury indicted Hedgecock on Hedgecock has marntained that the prosecu- DA's Huffman • • • tion is a vendetta by his longtime foe, District Attorney Edwin Miller. But many court observers say the real match- up to watch in the courtroom is between two of the city's best criminal trial lawyers: assistant district attorney Richard Huffman and defense attorney Michael Pancer. Today, a look at Huffman, Pancer and the referee, Judge Todd.

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1s aggressive 1n justice's pursuit By Rivian Taylor laff Writer ss1 tant d1stnct attorney Richard Huffman has prosecuted the "big" one : a reputed Mafia h1tman cult depro- grammer Ted Patrick, cop-killer even police officers and attorneys. In 1979, uffman ecured the conv1c- llon of double-murderer Robert Alton Hams, who authorities say is likely to be the first per on executed in California ince 1967. Now, at 45 after nearly two decad as a pros cutor, Huffman may find that he's m his fmal trial as an advocate, trying to win the conviction of the mayor of San Diego. Speculation is !ugh that Gov Deuk- mejian will appomt Huffman to the bench next ye r Mayor Hedgecock has alluded to Huff- man's Judicial ambitions, complaining that it is a motivation for Huffman's ag- gr 1vcness in prosecutiog the case. In iders di miss the complaint, howev- er, noting Iha Huffman already was on th track for an appointment long before the Hedgecock case began. They also note that keepmg a low profile at this time probably would enhance Huffman's chances for a Judgeship more than get- ting involved m a bitterly contested 'cnmmal pro ·ecution. Further, most longtime court observ- ers would agree that aggressiveness marks Huffman's approach to most things, particularly criminal trials. Few people who have seen Huffman in

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~ENFANCE DU CHRIST, Berlioz's oratario, will be performed by the San Diego Symphony Orchestra on Dec. 20 and 21 at the Immaculata Basilica Uni- \' ity of San Diego. David Ath'erton will conduct tlie orchestra and the San Diego Master Chorale. Written in 1854 "L'~nfance du Christ" is the story of th~ Christ Child's flight into Egypt with Mary and Joseph. Performances are at 8 p.m. and tickets are $15 and $10. Tickets can be charged to 283-SEAT. Call 239- 9721 for more information. ..:2, ~';)- /

Richard Huffman the courtroom have anything but praise for his skill and effectiveness as a trial attorney. Maynard Waxenberg, a juror in the Hams case, said he still VI vidly recalls how •·painstakingly thorough·• Huffman was during the trial Waxenberg also recalled that some of h1 fellow jurors had said they were abso- lutely opposed to the death penalty. ·But, he (Huffman) didn't leave much room for error. He tied the whole thing together. At the end. there was no question in the minds of the jury." See DA on Pag B-3

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D : Huffman is aggressive prosecutor, used to the big caSes Continued from B-1 ?...'lo flak-catcher" for the office, Huffman Huffman has sought to mend fences. general's office and within two years man, including the Harris case in- to out-of-town legal seminars. This ot di guising his awe, Waxenberg has made a host of enemies. He served on the board of direc- was in charge of the organized-crime valving the murder of two Mira summer he is scheduled to teach at added: 'He's O good, it's. cary" One local defen e lawyer, who tors of the county bar association for unit and special prosecution section Mesa teen-agers, the Willie Hender- Oxford University in England. •Tenaciou , diligent. well-pre- asked not to be identified, called three years. County Bar President for Southern California. son case involving the murder of San He has taught law for 12 years at pared" are among the adjectives Huffman "ruthless" and said he Craig Higgs said Huffman was one of As a deputy attorney general, Diego police Sgt. Freddie Edwards, the University of~ Diego. For the most often v0tced by lawyers about doesn't trust him. He criticized the the hardest-working board members. Huffman m 1970 successfully con- and the Ted Patrick case in which past two years he has served as di- Huffman in a courtroom. ttming of Hedgecock's indictment Higgs, who beat out Huffman by victed two defendants in Riverside Huffman won a kidnapping convic- rector for USD's Center for Criminal Still. along with the accolades and the timing of charges brought m one vote for the bar presidency, also for an execution-style murder stem- tion against the deprogrammer of re- Justice Policy and Management, -a Huffman has received his hare of 1977 against the then newly elected called him •·one of the strongest, ' ming from a drug transaction. The ligious cultists. conservative think tank started by cntiri m. president of the San Diego County most influential members because of victim's body was not recovered He also has prosecuted police offi- presidential counselor Edwin Meese. Jn 14 year with the district attar- Bar Association, who eventually his intelligence, grasp of issues and until 1972. cers, incurring the anger of some in Huffman also was one of the foun- ncy' office the first 11 in the No. 3 pleaded guilty to receiving stolen persuasiveness." His most celebrated case as a dep- law enforcement agencies. Those ders of the San Diego Inn of Court, a pot and the la t three in the No. 2 property. Colleagues and friends, such as uty attorney general was his prose- same prosecutions, involving shoot- program m which the city's finest 1t1on Huffman to a large extent Huffman took a lot of heat for that former U.S. attorney James Lorenz, cution of Aladena "Jimmy the ings or use of excessive force, have trial lawyers have taught trial skills been the office's pomt man prosecution. Some attribute the re- say Huffman has mellowed in the Weasel" Fratianno on conspiracy led defense attorneys to praise Huff- to more than 1,200 new attorneys H ha rved as Di trict Attorney sentment it engendered in the legal last half-dozen years or so. Lorenz. charges, first in federal court and man for being courageous. over the years. Edwin Miller's chief tactician, and community for Huffman's major pro- who also was a deputy district attar- . later in Los Angeles Superior Court. Veteran defense attorney Louis Former San Diego County Bar bas been the major arbiter of which fessional setback. ney, said Huffman's hard-nosed repu- Ed Miller, then the U.S. attorney in Katz said that before Huffman's ten- President William G. Bailey, also ac- !:<:JSCS the office investigates and pro- In 1978 he tried to become a judge, tation stems mostly from earlier San Diego, recruited Huffman to ure few police cases were prosecut- tive in Inn of Court, said: "Dick Huff- cute He often ha been the one and failed. lromcally. the same type days. prosecute Fratianno, a reputed ed. "Most DAs will whitewash police man bas done as much if not more he d fcnse ha had to deal with in of comments that reportedly kept • • • Mafia hitman, in federal court. To cases," said Katz. than anyone to contribute to the edu- n gollatmg picas msenous case . him from winning the judicial ap- A native of Los Angeles, Huffman accomplish this, Huffman became cation of law students and lawyers in An articulate man quick to turn a pointment then are among the attrib- worked his way through law school the first state prosecutor in the na- • • • San Diego. Every year he's in there I er phrase, Huffman also fre- utes peo le cite in explaining why at the Untversity of Southern Califor- lion to be specially designated as an Ask Dick Huffman a question teaching young lawyers how to try qu ntly ha served as the spokesman he's so effechve in trial nia. He became a prosecutor because assistant U.S. attorney. about criminal law and more often lawsuits." I r the office. particularly on contra- Said one person familiar with the the state attorney general's office of- When Miller became district attar- than not you'll get an encyclopedic Through a spokesman, Huffman rs al i ues. Miller has assigned evaluation process of Huffman m fered him a higher salary than any ney in 1971, he went outside the office answer - down to the precise code declined to be interviewed for this uffman to try .everal of the more 1978: "A number of people raised other agency or firm. At the time the to hire Huffman for the No. 3 position section or case citation. story. DA spokesman_ Steve Casey controvers1al case that the office questions about his objectivity and $150-a-month difference meant a lot as chief deputy district attorney. The Point Loma resident is an una- said the office believes the ha prosecuted over the last dozen excessive prosecutorial zeal." to Huffman, supporting his wife and Over the years, many of the off- bashed workaholic, with no signifi- Hedgecock case ''should be decided y ars With the same intensity that he young son. ice's high-profile and controversial cant hobbies outside the law. For va- on the merits, not a beauty contest A a result of his role as "chief displays in the courtroom, however, He rose quickly in the attorney cases have been prosecuted by Huff- cations, he frequently takes his wife between the attorneys." /

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