By FRED SHUSTER
LOS ANGELES — Former Los Angeles Deputy Mayor Raymond Chan is asking a federal judge to declare a mistrial in his public corruption case which was placed on hold in the second week of trial after the defendant’s attorney fell ill and was hospitalized, according to court papers obtained Wednesday.
A defense motion filed in Los Angeles federal court late Tuesday states that Chan’s sole trial counsel, Harland Braun, “is now physically unable to participate in the defense for at least several months.”
A hearing is scheduled Thursday morning in downtown Los Angeles before U.S. District Judge John Walter to discuss the situation.
Braun had been representing Chan for about four years in connection with the case, and met with the defendant at least weekly for the past 2 1/2 years in preparation for the trial which began Feb. 21, the filing states.
On March 2, Braun returned to his office after the day’s trial proceedings where his adult son, Adam, with whom he shares an office suite, found the attorney gravely ill, the motion says.
Emergency services were called, and Braun was taken by ambulance to the nearby UCLA Medical Center where he was admitted for treatment. Soon after, judge and prosecutors were informed of Braun’s unexpected illness, and a three-week trial recess was granted.
During the interim, Braun underwent emergency surgery and was hospitalized for 10 days, the motion states.
According to recent updates from Braun’s medical team, the defense lawyer will be unable to further participate in the Chan case, that he faces an “indeterminate but significant” period of further medical treatments and convalescence, and that his eventual return to the practice of law — albeit in a gradual, or perhaps, even limited capacity — will be at least three months down the line, if not longer, the filing says.
A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office said prosecutors would respond in writing in a court filing.
Chan is facing a…
Read the full article here
