Man Contends Attempted Rape Led to Slaying in Motel Room

A male prostitute beat and strangled a 61-year-old Santa Ana attorney after the attorney tried to rape him in a Garden Grove motel room, a defense attorney told jurors Wednesday.

Seymour Pizer was killed April 4, 1992, and his body was later found in a Dana Point dumpster. Kurt Karcher, 25, of Cypress, a drifter and former high school football player, was arrested after he allegedly used Pizer’s credit card to pay for a hotel bill.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Rick King said Wednesday that he believes Karcher killed Pizer during a planned robbery and asked jurors to convict Karcher of first-degree murder and robbery.

But Deputy Public Defender David Biggs told jurors that Pizer had picked Karcher up and accompanied him to the motel room, where Karcher had agreed to perform a sex act in exchange for $100. But Karcher refused to engage in a different sex act, Biggs said.

Pizer tried to force himself upon Karcher, Biggs said, and Karcher struck back in self-defense.

Karcher beat Pizer and then strangled him with a strap “to stop what he believed to be an attack, to stop what he believed to be a rape,” Biggs said.

Biggs said his client admits using Pizer’s credit cards and should be convicted for that crime, but should be acquitted of the murder and robbery charges.