(Getty Images / July 9, 2009) |
LOS ANGELES-- A Los Angeles Superior Court judge is being prosecuted for allegedly trying to bribe an opponent to drop out of an election, court officials said Thursday.
Judge Harvey A. Silberman, 52, was elected to be a judge by a 47-53% margin in 2008 over Serena Raquel Murillo. He stands accused of offering Murillo an $80,000 bribe to drop out of the election which he eventually won, say L.A. Superior Court officials.
Murillo reportedly refused to accept the bribe and reported the incident to authorities immediately.
Also being prosecuted for "solicitation of money or valuable consideration to induce a person not to become a candidate for public office" are Silberman's political consultants Evelyn Jerome Alexander and Alan Randall Steinberg.
The charges, filed under seal June 24th, were unsealed Wednesday.
Alexander and Steinberg pleaded not guilty to the Election Code violations on Wednesday in Superior Court. Silberman's arraignment is being deferred, "pending designation of a judge from outside the county," said Christine Gasparac of the state attorney general's office.
If convicted of all charges, the defendants each face a maximum of three years in state prison, say prosecutors.
Judge Silberman famously presided over the child custody battle between actors Charlie Sheen and former wife Denise Richards.
Silberman is currently on temporary paid leave.
A status conference in the case is scheduled for July 23, Gasparic said.
Judge Harvey A. Silberman, 52, was elected to be a judge by a 47-53% margin in 2008 over Serena Raquel Murillo. He stands accused of offering Murillo an $80,000 bribe to drop out of the election which he eventually won, say L.A. Superior Court officials.
Murillo reportedly refused to accept the bribe and reported the incident to authorities immediately.
Also being prosecuted for "solicitation of money or valuable consideration to induce a person not to become a candidate for public office" are Silberman's political consultants Evelyn Jerome Alexander and Alan Randall Steinberg.
The charges, filed under seal June 24th, were unsealed Wednesday.
Alexander and Steinberg pleaded not guilty to the Election Code violations on Wednesday in Superior Court. Silberman's arraignment is being deferred, "pending designation of a judge from outside the county," said Christine Gasparac of the state attorney general's office.
If convicted of all charges, the defendants each face a maximum of three years in state prison, say prosecutors.
Judge Silberman famously presided over the child custody battle between actors Charlie Sheen and former wife Denise Richards.
Silberman is currently on temporary paid leave.
A status conference in the case is scheduled for July 23, Gasparic said.
