Prosecutors Will Retry Glendale Extortion Case
Federal prosecutors said Monday they will retry two Armenian immigrants and drop charges against a third emigre accused of trying to extort money from the immigrant owners of a Glendale sewing business.
A jury deadlocked 10-2 and 9-3 in favor of acquittal on most of the counts against the men following a three-week trial last month.
Assistant U.S. Atty. Daniel Saunders told Judge Richard A. Paez Monday that the prosecution plans to put on a streamlined case against defendants Henzel Harutian, 58, and Albert Ambarsunian, 59--dropping some counts against the pair and all charges against co-defendant Edouard Terterian, 37.
But Paez did not appear pleased by the decision and ordered the prosecution to meet with the defense lawyers to settle the case without going to trial.
Defense lawyers said the case was nothing more than a business dispute in which the alleged victims, Armen and Anahit Eloyan, had reneged on a $100,000 debt.
Harutian’s attorney Mark Geragos told the judge Monday that the government is unfairly targeting Armenians.
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