D.A. Employees Being Queried About Harper’s Disappearance

The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office said Monday that several of its employees and former employees are being questioned about the disappearance of former Deputy Dist. Atty. Harvey W. Harper, who vanished in late January just before he was found guilty of sexually abusing his two daughters.

While a criminal investigation is being conducted by the sheriff’s department in San Bernardino County, where Harper’s trial took place, authorities in Los Angeles are looking into possible personnel violations by three or four employees and former employees, Assistant Dist. Atty. Curt Livesay said.

“An allegation--even if it doesn’t turn out to be true--of anyone conducting himself or herself in a way that would lead anyone else to even speculate that they’re knowingly aiding a fugitive felon is conduct that at the very least is embarrassing to the office,” Livesay said.

Although neither Livesay nor Chief Deputy Dist. Atty. Gilbert I. Garcetti would name the employees or former employees being questioned, a San Bernardino sheriff’s sergeant said in response to a reporter’s question that R. Zaiden Corrado, who resigned from the district attorney’s office last March 29, was among those interviewed.

“Mr. Corrado has been contacted,” said Sgt. Larry Stimach.

Little Comment

Corrado, who now practices law in Fullerton, said in a telephone interview, “Folks have called me and asked me about (Harper’s) disappearance. Frankly, I’m getting tired of people asking me about Harvey Harper.” He declined further comment.

Harper, 50, has been missing since Jan. 28, when he vanished minutes before an Ontario Superior Court jury found him guilty on five of six felonies with which he was charged--one count of attempted incest with his older daughter, now 21, in 1981, and four counts of the more serious charge of molesting his younger daughter, now 15, between September, 1982, and May, 1984.

A 20-year veteran of the district attorney’s office, Harper had headed at the time of his arrest in 1984 the unit that prosecutes parents for failing to pay child support. Harper, who forfeited $25,000 bail when he vanished, was formally discharged from his job the day the verdict was announced.

The San Bernardino County sheriff’s office refused Monday to confirm reports that a Los Angeles County deputy district attorney had unsuccessfully attempted to persuade Harper’s older daughter not to testify against him during the trial.

Linked to Prosecutor

Authorities did indicate that a current deputy district attorney now holds power of attorney for Harper and a quitclaim deed to his Alta Loma home. But it could not be learned whether that prosecutor is among those who have been questioned concerning Harper’s disappearance.

Livesay said possible disciplinary action against current employees could include termination. But if evidence of criminal wrongdoing emerges, the matter would be handled by San Bernardino authorities or the state attorney general’s office to avoid a conflict of interest, he said.

While authorities say they do not know Harper’s whereabouts, they have received tips ranging from Mexico to Europe.