VENTURA : Warrant Issued for Suspended Attorney

A Ventura County judge Monday issued a warrant for the arrest of a former deputy city attorney who failed to appear in court as scheduled on charges of probation violation.

Superior Court Judge Charles Campbell Jr. was to arraign Kenneth G. Makature on Monday morning and issued the warrant for Makature’s capture when he didn’t appear.

In March, Makature, a former attorney for the city of Ventura, pleaded guilty to three counts of practicing law without a license.

He earlier admitted that he had made court appearances last year while his license was under suspension for failure to pay his dues to the State Bar of California.

Makature was placed on probation in June, but was ordered to appear before Campbell for failing to report to his probation officer, Deputy Dist. Atty. Matthew J. Hardy said.

“He’s supposed to check in with the probation office so someone can help him get his life put back together, but he apparently doesn’t want that kind of help,” said Hardy, who also said an earlier probation report found Makature to have a “serious substance-abuse problem.”

“This is just a man who is absolutely bent on destroying his life,” the deputy district attorney said.

Deputy Public Defender Steve Lipson said prosecuting Makature is a “real waste of the court’s time and energy.”

“The guy probably is bent on destroying himself, but I don’t think the court should participate in it,” Lipson said.

The State Bar was granted authority over Makature’s law practice in August.