Judge agrees that estranged ‘RHOBH’ partner Tom Girardi ought to be tried alone in embezzlement case

Disbarred legal professional Tom Girardi will stand trial on federal felony prices with out co-defendant Chris Kamon after a Los Angeles judge dominated that the protection technique of Girardi’s former bookkeeper would possible bias the jury in opposition to the estranged husband of “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Erika Jayne, in keeping with courtroom papers obtained Thursday.

Girardi, 85, who was discovered competent to face trial regardless of his declare that he has Alzheimer’s illness and is incapable of helping along with his protection, faces a number of counts of wire fraud, a criminal offense carrying a possible jail sentence of as much as 20 years on every rely.

Girardi’s trial is ready for Aug. 6 in downtown Los Angeles. Kamon’s trial date has not but been scheduled.

U.S. District Judge Josephine Staton granted a protection movement to separate the case into separate trials on Wednesday, discovering that the defendants’ anticipated protection methods would pit Girardi in opposition to Kamon in such a means that every would are inclined to act as a “second prosecutor” of the opposite.

“Here, the federal government has characterised the proof as establishing that defendant Girardi carried out the primary fraudulent scheme and that he was aided and abetted by defendant Kamon within the latter’s function as an accountant,” the judge wrote within the order filed in LA federal courtroom.

“Generally, this reality lends itself to a joint trial, as proof of the existence of a scheme to defraud and the way and means via which it was allegedly carried out is prone to be the identical as to each defendants. But the potential for prejudice arises out of the anticipated defenses, which pits defendant Girardi in opposition to defendant Kamon such that every will are inclined to act as a ‘second prosecutor’ of the opposite.”

A authorities spokesperson couldn’t instantly be reached for remark.

The indictment alleges that from 2010 to December 2020, Girardi and Kamon embezzled and pocketed about $18 million that belonged to purchasers of the now-defunct downtown Los Angeles legislation agency Girardi Keese, which Girardi co-owned.

Girardi, of Seal Beach, is free on $250,000 bond and lives within the reminiscence ward of an Orange County nursing dwelling. Kamon, 50, is awaiting trial in federal custody.

Girardi grew to become broadly recognized when he was thanked within the credit of the 2001 Oscar-winning movie “Erin Brockovich,” for which he served as an adviser. The legal professional was a part of the authorized crew when Brockovich efficiently sued Pacific Gas & Electric in 1993 for contaminating the groundwater of a small California city.