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According to a story in the National Law Journal, U.S. District Judge John Walter in Los Angeles, who oversaw the criminal case against former San Diego plaintiff securities lawyer William Lerach, now feels the sentencing was "way too lenient." Lerach had paid kickbacks to lead plaintiffs. Walter now regrets having accepted Lerach's plea deal, according to the journal. Lerach had pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy, and Walter had sentenced him to two years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine, and 1,000 hours of community sentence. Lerach completed his sentence earlier this year, paid his fine and is doing community service. However, the judge on Monday rejected Lerach's request to count his teaching of a law course at the University of California, Irvine School of Law as a part of his public service.
Judge Walter was particularly incensed at public statements that Lerach has recently made. The judge cited several newspaper articles in which Lerach appeared to indicate that he wouldn't have done anything differently, and that the case was a "political prosecution." According to the journal, Walter said that Lerach "still denies that he did anything wrong...He misled and fooled the court into believing he had remorse at the time of his sentencing."
Walter questioned the 600 hours of community service that Lerach has already completed, including work at the La Jolla Historical Society, according to the journal. A spokesman for the law school said the class Lerach was to teach will not go forward. Discussion had only been in preliminary stages, said the spokesman.
According to a story in the National Law Journal, U.S. District Judge John Walter in Los Angeles, who oversaw the criminal case against former San Diego plaintiff securities lawyer William Lerach, now feels the sentencing was "way too lenient." Lerach had paid kickbacks to lead plaintiffs. Walter now regrets having accepted Lerach's plea deal, according to the journal. Lerach had pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy, and Walter had sentenced him to two years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine, and 1,000 hours of community sentence. Lerach completed his sentence earlier this year, paid his fine and is doing community service. However, the judge on Monday rejected Lerach's request to count his teaching of a law course at the University of California, Irvine School of Law as a part of his public service.
Judge Walter was particularly incensed at public statements that Lerach has recently made. The judge cited several newspaper articles in which Lerach appeared to indicate that he wouldn't have done anything differently, and that the case was a "political prosecution." According to the journal, Walter said that Lerach "still denies that he did anything wrong...He misled and fooled the court into believing he had remorse at the time of his sentencing."
Walter questioned the 600 hours of community service that Lerach has already completed, including work at the La Jolla Historical Society, according to the journal. A spokesman for the law school said the class Lerach was to teach will not go forward. Discussion had only been in preliminary stages, said the spokesman.