Court Considers Curbing Testimony in Olson Case

A state appeals court is considering a request by lawyers for bomb suspect Sara Jane Olson to sharply limit testimony about the Symbionese Liberation Army’s criminal history, especially crimes that occurred before Olson joined the radical group.

Olson, a 53-year-old Minnesota housewife, is accused of plotting to kill Los Angeles police officers by blowing up squad cars 25 years ago. She was arrested last year and awaits trial on a 1976 Los Angeles County grand jury indictment alleging conspiracy and explosives charges.

Prosecutors last year sought to expand the conspiracy theory to allow testimony about an SLA crime spree that included the murder of an Oakland schools superintendent, the killing of a woman during a bank robbery near Sacramento, and the 1974 kidnapping of publishing heiress Patty Hearst.

Superior Court Judge James M. Ideman gave them the go-ahead.

But Olson’s defense asked the court on Aug. 3 to reverse Ideman’s decision to allow evidence of about two dozen crimes, some of which have never resulted in charges.

The defense vehemently opposed evidence of crimes committed years before their client became associated with the SLA. Both sides agree, according to court documents, that Olson--then known as Kathleen Soliah--became an SLA supporter days after six SLA members died in a shootout with the LAPD in 1974.

The 2nd District Court of Appeal on Wednesday asked prosecutors to file a brief by Sept. 18 stating its position.

“It’s clearly a hopeful sign for the defense,” said defense attorney Mark J. Geragos. “It could have been rejected out of hand. To ask for a brief from the [prosecution] means that the Superior Court’s decision is really troubling them.”

If the appellate court agrees that SLA criminal activity before Olson’s involvement is irrelevant, “it would streamline the trial,” said Olson attorney Shawn S. Chapman.

“The fact that the Court of Appeal is asking for a response from the prosecution seems to suggest that there’s merit to our position,” she said. “From the beginning, it seemed to us patently unfair that the court would allow testimony about dozens of uncharged crimes having nothing to do with our client.”

Deputy Dist. Atty. Michael Latin has argued in court, however, that Olson was aware of the SLA’s violent history. “She knew what she was getting into,” he said at one hearing.

Prosecutors declined to comment Wednesday.

Olson has been free on $1-million bail raised by her friends and fellow church members. A physician’s wife and mother of three teenage daughters, she is under house arrest in St. Paul, Minn.

Her trial is scheduled to begin in January.