Lawyer Testifies He Told St. John Not to Appear

A former attorney for Juanita St. John testified Thursday that he told her not to appear at Los Angeles City Hall with her financial records last July as required by a subpoena issued by the city controller’s office.

Michael Nasatir, whose partner now represents St. John, said he complied with the subpoena deadline nonetheless by appearing on St. John’s behalf and asking City Controller Rick Tuttle for more time to review the documents.

“I also asked him not to take it out on her,” Nasatir said during the third day of St. John’s Municipal Court trial. “This was our office’s advice, and there was really no necessity to blame her for this situation.”

At Tuttle’s request, the city attorney’s office charged St. John with violating the subpoena, which sought various records relating to the city-funded Task Force for Africa/Los Angeles Relations, which St. John heads. The non-jury trial is expected to conclude today.