LOCAL : Ex-Harvard Student Claims Friend Committed Thefts He’s Accused Of

Jose Razo, the former Harvard University student charged with 10 armed robberies in Orange County, said this morning that a 26-year-old friend from La Habra actually committed the crimes.

On Monday Razo, on trial in Orange County Superior Court, repeatedly refused to identify the man that he simply called “the robber.” But under pressure from Judge Jean Rheinheimer, Razo this morning identified the man as a former La Habra High School student.

But the prosecutor, Deputy Dist. Atty. Ravinder Mehta, said outside court today that he thinks Razo simply invented the man. “I don’t believe it. Obviously, Razo can recall the crimes that the man allegedly told him about, and he can recall them so well because he did them himself.” Asked in court if the robber friend had an athletic build, Razo said, “That would depend on whether he just got out of prison or whether he’s been on the streets for a while.”