San Diego
A federal appeals court opened the door Tuesday for the release of a sealed FBI narrative detailing the behavior of prominent San Diego businessman Richard T. Silberman immediately after he was arrested last April 7 on money-laundering charges.
A three-judge panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals denied an appeal by Silberman’s lawyers to keep the narrative secret, saying the attorneys had not convinced them that its release would jeopardize Silberman’s right to a fair trial.
U.S. District Judge J. Lawrence Irving ordered the narrative--which federal prosecutors have said details “incriminating” statements made by Silberman--made public in a ruling last month. But before Irving could release it Tuesday, the appellate court said it would give Silberman’s attorneys another day to file a request for reconsideration. The document could be made available as early as today.
Silberman, the husband of county supervisor Susan Golding, is accused with reputed mobster Chris Petti and three other men of laundering $300,000 that an undercover FBI agent had characterized as proceeds from Colombian drug dealers.
Silberman’s trial is scheduled to begin April 10. The trial for the others is due to begin July 17.
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