Judge Refuses to Block Trial of Juanita St. John
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A Los Angeles Superior Court judge on Friday denied the latest attempt by lawyers for Juanita St. John to head off a trial of the embattled head of a city-funded Africa trade task force.
Judge Ronald Swearinger denied an appeal by St. John that sought to throw out an earlier court ruling that St. John stand trial on a misdemeanor charge of violating a city subpoena. The subpoena seeks records and information on how St. John spent $180,000 in city funds. A pretrial hearing has been set for Oct. 24.
In addition to the alleged subpoena violation, St. John, a business associate of Mayor Tom Bradley, and the Task Force for Africa/Los Angeles Relations, which is run by St. John, are under investigation by Los Angeles police and the district attorney’s major fraud unit. Investigators are trying to determine if city funds were misused.
St. John and her attorneys have said the funds were spent properly.
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