Indicted Official’s Lawyer Asks to Be Excused From Case

The lawyer representing former Compton City Councilwoman Patricia Moore against 25 counts of extortion and federal tax evasion has asked to be removed from the case because of stress-related illness.

According to a motion filed in U.S. District Court last week, attorney Ollie Manago suffers from a heart problem and depression, both of which have worsened during her work on the case. Her motion, set to be heard in court Friday, also asks the court to appoint a new attorney to defend Moore.

The third lawyer to defend Moore in the case, Manago volunteered in January 1995 to take Moore’s case on the understanding that she might not be paid; after fund-raising efforts fell short, she has been working free of charge. Manago’s doctor, Phillip Jackson, said she risks a nervous breakdown if she continues working on Moore’s and other cases seven days a week.

Moore’s trial could be postponed until April if Manago is relieved, said a clerk who works for Manago. She added that Manago has pledged the cooperation of her staff to any court-appointed attorney.

Moore was indicted in August 1995 and charged with extorting more than $60,000 from Compton businessmen while serving on the City Council in 1991 and 1992. She contends she was entrapped by federal agents in a sting that has led to the recent conviction of former Compton Mayor and Congressman Walter R. Tucker III.