Mistrial Declared in Case Against Alleged Con Man
A mistrial was declared Tuesday in the case against an escaped convict from Britain who is accused of conning rich women out of thousands of dollars in the sale of phony movie rights.
On its second day of deliberation, a Santa Monica Superior Court jury indicated that it was hopelessly deadlocked on the three felony grand theft counts against Graham Leaver, and Judge David Perez declared a mistrial.
Prosecutors have portrayed the 48-year-old Englishman, who used the alias Viscount Guy de Montfort, as a debonair charmer who preyed on wealthy Westside women. He was arrested Jan. 9 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel after sheriff’s deputies received a tip from a Malibu woman who was planning to meet him at the hotel bar until she learned that he was wanted by authorities.
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