The State - News from Feb. 12, 1986

The conviction of alleged Oakland prostitution kingpin Ralph Huey Washington, accused of heading a sophisticated operation extending from Hawaii to Texas, was vacated by the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which sent the case back to San Francisco federal court for further proceedings. A new trial should be ordered if hearings indicate that the defendant’s objections on several legal points are warranted, the appellate court said. Washington was convicted of filing false income tax returns, traveling to foreign locations with criminal intent and mail fraud. He appealed on grounds that--among other things--he was not allowed to have counsel of his choice, certain evidence was illegally obtained and cross-examination of former prostitutes testifying for the prosecution was improperly limited.