Rizzo's Second Case Begins Tuesday

Last week, the former Bell city manager was ordered to stand trial on charges stemming from the alleged misappropriation of millions of dollars

Former Bell city administrator Robert Rizzo -- who  was ordered to stand trial last week on more than 50 charges stemming from the  alleged misappropriation of millions of dollars from the city's coffers -- is  due in court Tuesday in a second criminal case.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Henry J. Hall is set to determine if  there is sufficient evidence to require Rizzo, 57, to stand trial on one felony  count each of conflict of interest and misappropriation of public funds.

The hearing is expected to take about a day.

At a hearing that wrapped up last Thursday, Hall ruled that enough  evidence had been presented to require Rizzo to proceed to trial in a separate  case charging him with 54 counts, including misappropriation of public funds,  falsification of records by an official custodian, conflict of interest and  public officer crime.

Also ordered to stand trial were former assistant city administrator  Angela Spaccia and recalled mayor Oscar Hernandez and former councilman Luis  Artiga.

Hernandez and Artiga had previously been ordered on Feb. 16 to stand  trial along with City Council members Teresa Jacobo and George Mirabal and  former council members George Cole and Victor Bello in a separate case alleging  that they misappropriated public funds.

Hernandez, Artiga, Jacobo and Mirabal were recalled last week, with more  than 95 percent of those voting in favor of ousting them from office. Artiga  had already resigned last October after being charged.

Rizzo and other top city officials stepped down last July after the  scandal over their hefty salaries made headlines.

Copyright CNS - City News Service
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