Decision on Hedgecock’s Lawyer Was Wise Move

U.S. District Judge Lloyd George showed a bit of judicial wisdom last week in deciding to let Roger Hedgecock’s lawyer come to San Diego for the retrial of the mayor’s felony conspiracy and perjury charges.

The situation had threatened to become absurd, as Superior Court Judge William L. Todd insisted on lawyer Oscar Goodman’s presence here this Monday to begin Hedgecock’s trial and George insisted he be in Las Vegas to defend reputed mobster Anthony Spilotro on racketeering charges.

Since the Las Vegas trial involves 18 defendants, it was no small matter for George to yield. But the importance to San Diego of having the charges against the mayor settled is also extremely significant.

Hedgecock’s first trial ended in February with the jury hung 11-1 in favor of conviction.

Since then, there has been delay after delay as attorney Michael Pancer, Hedgecock’s attorney in the first trial, asked to be removed from the case, and the mayor settled on Goodman as his new lawyer. Richard D. Huffman, the prosecutor in the first trial, was named a Superior Court judge and left the district attorney’s office.

Now the case is finally set for retrial, and, while many San Diegans probably do not look forward to another weeks-long reprise of the conspiracy alleged to have taken place among Hedgecock and fellow defendants Nancy Hoover, J. David Dominelli and Tom Shepard, most certainly have a strong desire to see the issue resolved.

To his credit, Hedgecock has showed remarkable strength in maintaining his concentration on city matters both during his first trial and since. He has conducted campaign-style walks through the city and almost succeeded in making people forget the legal cloud he’s under. But people have not forgotten, and despite Hedgecock’s strength, the city deserves a mayor who can focus all his energies on his job.

One thing that is certain is that there ought not to be any further delay in getting the trial started. Judge George has made it clear that if the San Diego case is pushed back again, he will proceed with the racketeering trial and require Goodman’s presence in Las Vegas.

That seems only fair. It also seems fair to the residents of San Diego that the trial begin now. Goodman has had ample time to prepare his case; the district attorney should be ready to try his. It’s time to resolve the charges against Hedgecock and get on with other city business.