Harvard Student Due in Court in String of County Robberies

Jose Luis Razo Jr., the Harvard student who said he took almost $30,000 in a string of holdups and gave most of it away to family and friends, is to be arraigned today in North Orange County Municipal Court on 10 counts of armed robbery and one count of attempted escape.

Razo, 20, was to have been arraigned last week, but his attorney requested more time to study the case. La Habra police had filed eight counts of robbery last week. On Monday, Anaheim and Garden Grove police added one count each for robberies in their cities.

Razo is also a suspect in five armed robberies in Los Angeles County, police said. Whittier Police Detective Dan Fredrich said Razo admitted committing three robberies in that city, and Razo is a suspect in two others in Industry.

Costa Mesa police said they intend to seek charges against Razo this week in a June robbery of a McDonald’s in that city.

Razo’s attorney, Michael R. McDonnell, said Tuesday that he will defend the Harvard football linebacker against any charges that may be brought in Los Angeles County.

He said a public defender will represent Razo in Orange County because the family could not afford an adequate defense.

“It’s expensive to hire the professional staff needed--the doctors and investigators,” McDonnell said. He said he plans to combine the work of the public defender with his own for any Los Angeles County defense.