Changing Cast of Attorneys for Kraft Blamed for Delay

Changes amongthe lawyers defending Randy Steven Kraft have contributed to delays in the case. None of Kraft’s current attorneys was on the case during the first year of court hearings.

Kraft was arrested May 14, 1983. His first attorney was Bruce C. Bridgeman of Westminster, who knew Kraft’s family, and he immediately brought in Douglas W. Otto of Long Beach to assist him. But Bridgeman quit after a few weeks to return to his busy practice and was replaced by Frederick L. McBride of Santa Ana.

McBride left in November, 1983, in a dispute with Kraft.

Superior Court Judge Luis A. Cardenas, who is hearing pretrial motions in the complex case, appointed Otto to carry on the defense at public expense after the Kraft family’s funds ran out, saying it would be cheaper to keep him on the case than to bring in someone fresh. He then appointed lawyer James G. Merwin to help Otto.

Otto left in July, 1984, after Kraft insisted he be dismissed.

Merwin asked Cardenas to appoint C. Thomas McDonald, then chief deputy in the Orange County public defender’s office to assist him. McDonald wanted to take a leave of absence, but when county officials balked at that, he resigned. Cardenas then was persuaded to appoint the third defense attorney--William J. Kopeny, who resigned as the head of the public defender’s writs and appeals section, to take the case.

Both Merwin and McDonald are working full time on the Kraft case, and the majority of Kopeny’s time is devoted to the case.