Trial Set for Aide Accused of Fondling

A former nurse’s aide at Los Robles Regional Medical Center in Thousand Oaks is scheduled to go on trial March 16 on charges of fondling three female patients while they were sedated, an official said.

A pretrial hearing for Chi Hon Lau, 42, is set for Feb. 19 in Ventura County Superior Court, said Deputy Dist. Atty. Lisa Frawley.

Lau was arrested Nov. 12 at his Newbury Park home after a three-week investigation by Ventura County Sheriff’s Department detectives, conducted with the help of hospital officials. The hospital had fired Lau a month earlier without citing a reason, but authorities later said it was connected with the alleged sex crimes.

Lau, who was hired at the 187-bed, 1,200-employee hospital in May 1996, is alleged to have fondled three patients.

He has no criminal record, according to police, and hospital officials said in November that Lau had passed a background check.

Frawley said all three patients have accused Lau of inappropriately touching them while they were sedated with pain medication.

A felony complaint was filed Nov. 19 in Thousand Oaks Municipal Court, outlining three separate allegations, and Lau pleaded not guilty Dec. 5 at his arraignment, Frawley said.

Lau’s case was sent to Ventura County Superior Court, and at a Dec. 22 preliminary hearing, Lau again pleaded not guilty and was bound over for trial on three charges of sexual battery against hospital patients, with the willful intent of touching them for sexual gratification, Frawley said.

Lau fired his first lawyer and has since retained Glendale attorney Michael Flannigan.

Flannigan was unavailable for comment Wednesday, a secretary said.