WEST HILLS : 2nd Judge Dismissed in Adam Rich Trial

A Van Nuys Superior Court judge, assigned to the burglary trial of former child actor Adam Rich after the defense disqualified a previous judge, was himself disqualified by the prosecution Wednesday.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Teri M. Hutchinson said she asked that Judge Michael J. Farrell be removed from the case because he agreed to consider a defense motion for separate trials on two charges against Rich. The judge had earlier granted a prosecution motion to combine the charges--burglary of a West Hills pharmacy in April, 1991, and theft of a painkiller-filled syringe from a Marina del Rey hospital in October.

Under state law, attorneys on both sides of a case have the right to arbitrarily disqualify one judge each.

In January, Rich’s attorney, Floyd J. Siegal, disqualified Judge John Fisher because Siegal felt Fisher had abused his discretion when he raised Rich’s bail from $20,000 to $100,000 on the burglary charge.

The case will now be heard by Judge Kathryne Ann Stoltz. She will rule Wednesday on Siegal’s motion for separate trials.

Rich, who played the youngest son on the TV series “Eight Is Enough,” was sentenced in January in a third drug-related case to 30 days in jail and ordered to complete a drug rehabilitation program.