LOS ANGELES : Disbarred Lawyer Pleads Not Guilty to Fraud Charges
A Los Angeles civil rights lawyer disbarred for allegedly defrauding his clients has pleaded not guilty to charges of grand theft and practicing law without a license.
A. Thomas Hunt, 52, remained free on $15,000 bail after entering his plea in Los Angeles Municipal Court on Wednesday. Judge Craig E. Veals ordered Hunt back to court May 23 for a preliminary hearing.
Hunt is accused of taking money from three clients without following through on their cases. The alleged victims were a pregnant woman, a black man and a teacher.
Hunt already has served a five-day jail term in a similar but separate state civil court case. A judge found him in contempt of court for failing to notify clients and return their fees after relinquishing his license in 1993.
Hunt’s attorney, Mark Werksman, said prosecutors are trying to punish his client for actions already handled by the State Bar and in civil court.
“The State Bar wants to extract its own pound of flesh with this criminal prosecution,” Werksman said.
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