Lawyer’s Defense of Biting Novel: That’s Entertainment

So what does a hard-charging defense attorney who specializes in notorious clients and lost causes do in his spare time?

Writes a satiric novel about a hard-charging defense attorney who specializes in notorious clients and lost causes, naturally.

Enter now “Wilkes: His Life and Crimes” (Ballantine paperback, 352 pages), by Winston Schoonover, the nom de plume of noted San Diego defense attorney Charles Sevilla.

It’s what Sevilla has been doing when he’s not trying to save Robert Alton Harris from the gas chamber or Roger Hedgecock from the honor camp at Descanso.

“Wilkes” is a wicked and comic sendup of the overheated justice system. No one escapes.

Not defense attorneys (maniacs), reporters (flacks for the prosecution), the U.S. attorney (“the Useless Attorney”), cops (liars), psychiatrists (highly paid liars) or probation officers (“court-designated hit men”).

Judges (“black-robed pimps in the whorehouse of justice”) get it the worst.

The book’s anti-hero, John Wilkes, defender of point shavers, murderers and lunatic bank robbers, thinks most judges are frustrated prosecutors.

One judge babbles in Latin. Another is heartbroken that he’s never gotten to sentence someone to die.

Most judges never saw a search warrant they didn’t like or a criminal defendant they did. A lady judge has a name that is a pun on female anatomy.

Wilkes to clients: “Will I defend you? I’ll defend you to your very last cent.”

His clients get depressed: “If they had any morals, they’d be demoralized.”

He doesn’t apologize for his high fees: “If you’ve got cancer, you don’t go to a free clinic.”

Don’t look for thinly disguised San Diego characters. The book’s set in New York City.

Still, Sevilla, 45, is prepared if some locals miss the humor.

“The book was written for entertainment,” he said. “If people read it in that fashion, I think they’ll realize it is somewhat tongue-in-cheek.

“If not, tough.”

Irish Eyes Are Watching

Here today, here tomorrow.

* Tonight’s American Ireland Fund Committee black-tie dinner at the San Diego Marriott will honor the Rev. Edward Malloy, president of the University of Notre Dame.

The evening also will be dedicated to slain attorney Daniel Broderick.

And funds raised will help rebuild St. John’s Square in Listowel, Ireland, the Broderick ancestral home.

There’s a downside: Marriott security has been alerted to watch for crashers who may try to stage a demonstration in favor of Broderick’s accused killer, ex-wife Betty.

* Let’s see if I have this straight.

Mike Aguirre, beaten by Bob Filner for City Council in 1987, files a lawsuit that would force “pro-Latino” redistricting.

Not so coincidentally, the Aguirre suit would make Filner’s reelection much more difficult.

Bob Glaser, beaten by Bruce Henderson for City Council in 1987, co-authors a redistricting map (counter to the Aguirre plan) that would force large-scale “pro-environment” shifts.

Not so coincidentally, the Glaser map would make Henderson’s reelection much more difficult.

Ah, San Diego politics: where it’s never over, even after it’s over.

Take Your Sunscreen

It says here.

* The naked truth.

The Camping Bares, a San Diego family nudist group, has an active social schedule, including a dance (Boogie-in-the-Buff) and river trip (Canuding).

Still, nudism is usually greeted with disapproving glances. Camping Bares accepts this.

On its letterhead the group is described thusly: “An anarchist disorganization dedicated to the destruction of the fabric of our society.”