SoCal lawyer lawyer convicted of embezzling from client
Lawyer Blogs
[##_1L|1005862880.jpg|width="120" height="101" alt=""|_##]A Palos Verdes attorney was convicted of embezzling $150,000 from the trust fund he set up for an elderly woman who once worked as Walt Disney's secretary. Superior Court jurors deliberated only two hours Friday before convicting Salvatore Patrick Osio, 69, prosecutor Sean Hassett said. Osio said Saturday that he would appeal.
"They (jurors) didn't review any documents, transcripts or exhibits, which were considerable," Osio said. "They took the shortcut and rushed to judgment without proper deliberation. We are concerned that the prosecutor's very inflammatory closing argument and mischaracterization of the evidence was very prejudicial."
Prosecutors contended that Osio embezzled the money from a trust fund he was hired to set up for Alicia Waters and her husband, Henry, in 2002. She discovered the money missing after her husband's death, authorities said. She died in 2005 at age 92.
Osio was convicted of one count each of grand theft, theft from an elder, forgery and perjury.
He remains free on bail but could face up to six years and eight months in state prison when he is sentenced next month.
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