Court Refuses to Drop Political Money Laundering Charges

The state Court of Appeal has denied a request by prominent Los Angeles attorney Pierce O’Donnell to toss out charges that he laundered political contributions to Mayor James K. Hahn’s 2001 campaign committee.

Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley praised the ruling, which upheld a February decision by a Superior Court judge against dismissal of the charges.

“We now wish to move ahead expeditiously to put this case before a jury and the public at large,” Cooley said in a statement.

George L. O’Connell, an attorney for O’Donnell, said, however, that there was a good chance his client would appeal.

“We are certainly disappointed, and we will give very serious consideration to going to the state Supreme Court,” he said. “We think this is an issue that goes beyond just this case.”

Prosecutors filed misdemeanor charges against O’Donnell in May 2004, alleging that he gathered $25,500 for Hahn’s 2001 campaign from others and reimbursed them.

O’Donnell faces 26 charges of making contributions in other people’s names, which could result in a maximum sentence of 13 years in prison.

Hahn has denied any knowledge that contributions were laundered.

O’Connell argued in Superior Court and on appeal that prosecutors erred in bringing charges under state law rather than city law because the allegations involve a local election. He said city law has a two-year statute of limitations, which has expired.

The three-justice appeals panel issued a two-sentence order that said the petition for a writ of mandate “has been read and considered. The petition is denied.”

The author of five books, O’Donnell has, over the years, represented a host of highprofile clients, including Lockheed Martin, MGM and the cities of Anaheim and Pasadena.

The case has attracted significant attention.

O’Donnell’s position is backed in an amicus brief filed in the case by former Supreme Court Justice Cruz Reynoso on behalf of a group of attorneys.

“Because Los Angeles is a charter city,” Reynoso said Thursday, “its law should take precedence over state law for a local election.”