Local News in Brief : Ticket Charge Dropped
A state appeals court has dismissed one criminal count against Beverly Hills Municipal Judge Charles Boags, ruling that he did not violate the public trust when he suspended fines for 207 parking tickets issued to his son or the youth’s friends in 1985 and 1986.
In issuing the decision, however, the 2nd District Court of Appeal refused to dismiss a second charge of conspiracy to obstruct justice against the 58-year-old judge. Prosecutors consider this count the “heart of the case,” Deputy Dist. Atty. Charles Healey said.
“By leaving the obstruction of justice charge, it means he will be going to trial,” Healey said.
But Johnnie Cochran, one of the three defense attorneys for Boags, said the dismissal of the one count significantly hurts the prosecution’s case.
“The prosecution will have a very, very difficult time showing that Judge Boags engaged in a conspiracy,” Cochran said.
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