LOS ANGELES : LAPD Officer to Face 3rd Trial in 2 Robberies

A Los Angeles police officer accused in the 1989 robberies of two check-cashing outlets will face trial for the third time, a Superior Court Judge has decided.

Judge George W. Trammell III set a trial date of July 7 for Officer Bobby R. Marshall. Two previous juries failed to reach unanimous decisions and mistrials were declared. The most recent jury deadlocked 11 to 1 in favor of convicting Marshall on some charges and 10 to 2 for conviction on others. The earlier jury deadlocked in favor of acquittal.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Efrem Grail said the second jury’s strong vote for conviction led to the decision to try Marshall again. Marshall’s lawyer, Leo Branton, said he will seek to have the case dismissed, in part because of improprieties he contends the prosecution committed in the two earlier trials.

Marshall and his wife were indicted last year. The chief witness against them is a man who had been convicted of one of the robberies and who was given immunity from prosecution in the other in exchange for his testimony.

A jury acquitted Marshall’s wife of some charges and a judge dismissed the rest.