Jun 30, 2007 2:35 pm US/Pacific
Report: Delgadillo Pressured Prosecutor
LOS ANGELES (AP) ―
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Los Angeles City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo
CBS2
A prosecutor claims that Los Angeles City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo pressured her to drop criminal charges against a grocery store mogul.
Deputy City Attorney Asha Greenberg tells the Los Angeles Times that Delgadillo and two members of his executive staff urged her to drop charges against George Torres in 2001.
The owner of 11 Numero Uno markets was accused of illegally demolishing low-income apartments. Greenberg says her boss told her that Torres was worried a conviction would hurt his ability to get beer and wine permits.
Greenberg says she refused to drop the case and Torres eventually pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor.
In a written statement, the city attorney's office denied that Delgadillo exerted pressure and said he was only responding to an "external inquiry" about the case.
Torres later was indicted on federal racketeering charges alleging he orchestrated murders, bribed city officials, laundered money and aided drug traffickers.
Meanwhile, Delgadillo is under review by the state bar over complaints that he let his wife drive a city-owned vehicle and used his staff to baby-sit his children and run personal errands.
(© 2007 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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