Editorials

LOS ANGELES — Prosecutors in the case of former Symbionese Liberation Army fugitive Sara Jane Olson accused her and her attorneys Thursday of stalling to avoid trial and said the lawyers should be removed for failing to adequately prepare. 

Deputy District Attorneys Michael Latin and Eleanor Hunter filed a motion accompanied by a chart showing what they claimed was a purposeful effort to avoid trial in the case of the woman formerly known as Kathleen Soliah. 

Olson is charged with attempting to murder Los Angeles police officers by planting pipe bombs under squad cars 25 years ago. The bombs did not go off. 

“The failure of both counsel to prepare for trial is so egregious that if the court does reward them with another delay the people request that they be removed and replaced with diligent counsel who will prepare for and be ready for trial on the date set,” the motion said. 

It accused attorneys J. Tony Serra and Shawn Chapman of “purposeful stalling tactics intended to avoid trial.” 

Chapman denounced the motion and said it was outrageous to suggest that Olson had a hand in the delays. 

“I’m offended and outraged by this latest tactic of the district attorney’s office,” Chapman said in a telephone interview. 

She said prosecutors are aware that two previous attorneys, Stuart Hanlon and Susan Jordan, withdrew for personal problems and “this was no fault of my client’s.” 

“Sara Olson was deeply saddened when the two attorneys of her choice withdrew,” she said. 

After that, a public defender appointed to the case also withdrew due to a conflict of interest, Chapman noted. 

Serra, a San Francisco attorney, could not be immediately reached by telephone. 

“He is a legendary lawyer and he is a great lawyer because he tries a lot of cases,” said Chapman, who described his schedule as overwhelming. 

In an affidavit, the prosecutors ridiculed Olson’s request for public assistance from lawyers, investigators and paralegals at taxpayer expense, saying she and her husband have an annual income exceeding $300,000 and cannot be considered indigent. 

“The defendant was a fugitive for almost 25 years,” the prosecutors said. “Approximately 23 witnesses died during the course of her flight and several others have died since her arrest. To repeatedly claim that the defendant is just an innocent victim of circumstance defies logic. 

“Even though she was arrested in this case in June 1999, she is still fleeing from justice, just in a different manner.” 

Chapman said the defense will soon file an affidavit under seal showing that Olson is indigent. 

The prosecutors noted that the current attorneys were seeking a continuance and were particularly critical of Serra, who they said has made only three appearances since he was appointed to the case and “he has done virtually nothing as per his co-counsel, Shawn Chapman, to prepare for trial over the last seven months.” 

The prosecutors said that during a conference with the judge last month, Chapman said that Serra told her he was going to be engaged in another trial on Jan. 8, 2001, the date now set for Olson’s trial, and he did not expect the Olson case to proceed. 

“He, however, failed to inform the court of this,” the prosecutors said. ”... It is clear from Mr. Serra’s conduct that he has no respect for this court or its orders.” 

Earlier this week, the judge assigned to the case since Olson’s arrest bowed out when he was transferred to a suburban court at his request. The interim judge said the case would be delayed and assigned to a new jurist who probably could not handle it before April. 

“According to Ms. Chapman, Mr. Serra has done nothing to prepare for trial. She represented to the court while in chambers that Mr. Serra does not speak with her and refuses to return her calls.” 

Chapman defended her preparations for the case, saying it has a “tortured history“and that evidence came to her in unlabled boxes. 

“I’ve been trying to make sense of it,” she said.