BANKING

Keating Attorney Attacks Government Witness: The defense at Charles Keating Jr.’s Los Angeles federal trail attacked star government witness Judy J. Wischer, suggesting that she would do anything to keep from joining the former Lincoln Savings owner in prison. Wischer was president of American Continental Corp., the Keating company in Phoenix that owned Irvine-based Lincoln. Cross examined by Keating’s lawyer, Stephen C. Neal, Wischer said she was in difficult straits when she pleaded guilty in May to three counts in the fraud and racketeering case and agreed to cooperate with the government. She acknowledged that she insisted her guilty pleas should be to counts that occurred before November, 1987. Afterward, federal guidelines took effect that limit judges’ leniency in sentencing defendants. Wisher has testified that Keating and his son and co-defendants. Wischer has testified that Keating and his son and co-defendant, Charles Keating III, rigged sham land and securities sales in 1986 and 1987.