Arraignment for City Councilman Curren Price has been postponed, giving rise to criminal charges of theft by embezzlement, perjury, and conflict of interest. These charges stem from Price’s alleged involvement in voting on projects linked to developers connected to his wife’s consulting firm without disclosing the connections. The arraignment, originally scheduled for Dec. 15, will now take place in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom.
In June, a felony complaint was filed against Price, accusing him of five counts of grand theft by embezzlement, three counts of perjury, and two counts of conflict of interest.
At Price’s initial court appearance in July, Superior Court Judge Kimberley Baker Guillemet allowed the 72-year-old councilman to remain free on his own recognizance. The arraignment was previously postponed on Aug. 28.
Following the recent delay, Price’s attorney, Michael Schafler, stated, “Today’s demurrer demonstrates the many ways in which the charges against Councilmember Price are legally deficient.” Schafler specifically pointed out the lack of allegations regarding Price’s knowing and willful conduct in relation to the conflict of interest and financial disclosure charges. Schafler also argued that the embezzlement charges fail to establish a valid offense and are time-barred under relevant statutes.
Schafler further stated, “Even if our demurrer, which is based solely on the face of the Complaint, is denied, the problems with the prosecution’s case are undeniable. They will only become clearer once the prosecution is required to present evidence of probable cause that Councilmember Price is guilty of a crime. We anticipate that the prosecution will be unable to meet that burden, and we firmly believe that this case should never have been filed.”
After the court session, the City Council convened a regular meeting, but Price was absent.
According to the criminal complaint, Price allegedly embezzled funds between 2013 and 2017 by having the city cover around $33,800 in medical premiums for Del Richardson, whom he claimed to be married to despite still being married to Lynn Suzette Price at the time.
Price, who has consistently maintained his innocence, has represented the Ninth District, encompassing most of South Los Angeles and Exposition Park, since 2013. He previously served in the state Assembly and state Senate.
In his statement following the July court appearance, Price expressed his eagerness to engage with the District Attorney’s office in the coming weeks. He expressed gratitude for the court allowing time for this engagement and thanked his constituents and the entire city of Los Angeles for their support.
Price’s statement added, “As we said when the charges were brought, we believe that the charges filed by the DA’s office are completely unwarranted, and the facts will prove this. I have always conducted myself with integrity and professionalism, both in public and private.”
On the same day, Price sent a letter to Council President Paul Krekorian, announcing his decision to step down as council president pro tem and surrendering all of his committee assignments. Price wrote in the letter, “While I navigate through the judicial system to defend my name against unwarranted charges filed against me, the last thing I want to do is be a distraction to the people’s business.”
Price returned to City Hall on Aug. 8 for the first time since being charged. He approached the council’s chambers in a business-as-usual manner, with minimal disruption from those in attendance.
During the public comment period, some members of the public openly criticized Price’s return, arguing that he should not be voting at all.
If convicted, Price could face a sentence ranging from probation to approximately eight to ten years in prison, according to Deputy District Attorney Casey Higgins.
Price is the latest city official in Los Angeles to face legal or political turmoil. Former council members Jose Huizar and Mitch Englander have pleaded guilty to federal charges in recent years. Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas was convicted earlier this year of federal charges related to vote trading during his time on the county Board of Supervisors in exchange for benefits for his son from USC. Additionally, former City Council President Nury Martinez resigned last year after being caught on tape in a racially charged conversation involving two other councilmembers and a county labor official, discussing the council’s redistricting process.
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