VAN NUYS, CA – After three weeks of trial over whether or not an accused man is guilty for domestic violence, the failure of the Los Angeles County Van Nuys West Superior Courthouse to translate legal documents along with other possible prosecutorial misconduct led to defense claims of possible prosecutorial misconduct, perjury and charge stacking.
According to court records, on the night of Nov. 25, 2023, the accused was arrested for charges of seven counts of domestic violence.
Deputy Public Defender Hope Casella argued that after the victim gained full custody of her child in family court, she “completely changed her story,” and pleaded, “Please I don’t want to go to court. I am not afraid of (the accused). Please, I want to move on. I don’t want to do this anymore.”
However, since she was under oath, and perjury is a serious offense, DPD Casella claims, “she can’t admit to the lie…if she doesn’t give them certain answers to their questions she will go to jail.”
The defense also alleged the victim admitted to feeling “scared” and “intimidated” by Deputy District Attorney Peter Hsu, who reasoned the accused’s 80 phone calls to the victim directly violated the court’s protective order and thus added two counts to his case.
However, DPD Casella challenged this notion by claiming the accused was “never read the court order in Spanish (his native language)” and thus “he didn’t know he was violating the law.”
PD Casella argued these calls were to “remind the victim to go to family court” to deal with a separate important matter, child custody, and were only made since the victim’s social worker couldn’t get ahold of her.
DDA Hsu also called to court a witness from a closed domestic violence case the accused was allegedly involved in prior and was unrelated to this ongoing case. The witness claimed she didn’t want to go to court. Despite her plea, she was forced to “relive her trauma” and felt “terrified,” said the defense.
The jury is currently deliberating toward a verdict on the case.
