Judge Blames Jokes for Disputed Claims

Superior Court Judge Patrick Couwenberg, under investigation for telling tall tales about his academic and military exploits, on Monday stood by the story he told a judicial watchdog agency about his participation in mysterious covert operations in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War era.

“Respondent cannot be sure what government organization sent him to the Far East,” Couwenberg said Monday in a written response to allegations before the state Commission on Judicial Performance.

“It was at best an assumption, and remains a guess, that the agency that recruited respondent was the CIA.”

Regarding other disputed details about his background, Couwenberg stated that on some occasions he was joking. In other instances, he said, he could not recall.

Couwenberg, a former prosecutor who sits on the bench in Norwalk, could face removal, censure or public and private reprimands if a panel of special masters appointed by the commission finds that his actions violated judicial codes of conduct or embarrassed the bench.

In his formal written response, Couwenberg acknowledged that he did not hold master’s degrees in psychology or physics, did not serve in the Army in Vietnam and did not attend Loyola Law School, Cal State Los Angeles or Caltech, as he allegedly claimed on his judicial application.

He admitted that he was not injured in combat overseas and never received a Purple Heart.

His real credentials, according to the commission: He was in the U.S. Navy reserves. He attended Caffey Junior College, Cal Poly Pomona and LaVerne College Law Center.

The commission noted that there is a three-year discrepancy in the years that Couwenberg gave for his attendance at LaVerne. According to the commission, Couwenberg claimed that he attended LaVerne until June 1976; in fact, he graduated in 1973. Couwenberg failed the California Bar exam five times before being admitted to practice law in 1976.

Couwenberg denied that he deliberately falsified information about his military and educational background.

According to a transcript of his testimony before the commission, Couwenberg claimed that he was approached by a man he identified as “Jack Smith,” who offered early discharge from the reserves and financial assistance with his education.

Couwenberg said the man arranged for him to fly to a military base in the Dakotas and then to Thailand, where he met with some “Scandinavian mercenaries” and was attached to a Laotian general.

He said he did not question the mystery man.

“Jack Smith said don’t ask a lot of questions, OK? We’ll tell you what to do. We’ll take care of you. Don’t start asking questions, OK? Because here, the more questions you ask, the more dangerous it is for you.”

Couwenberg testified that he was involved in a “firefight” while in Southeast Asia but did not provide specifics. Later, he said, he learned that the so-called general actually “was in the opium trade.”

In his defense, Couwenberg said he did audit classes at Caltech and was accepted at Loyola Law School but did not enroll there because LaVerne was closer to home.

He said the misunderstanding about his supposed Army service and the Purple Heart occurred during his enrobing ceremony, which he took to be “humorous and in the nature of a roast.” He said he did not correct a fellow judge, who mentioned the Purple Heart during a speech, but did correct a reporter who attended the ceremony.

Other details about his supposed time with the Army during the Vietnam War were the result of misunderstandings, he said. “While in his judicial chambers, attorneys and respondent often spoke very informally about a variety of life experiences, often in jest,” said the response, filed by Long Beach attorney Edward P. George Jr.

No hearing date has been set.