Local News in Brief : Santa Ana : Judge Refuses to Cut Bail for Businessman

A judge Friday refused to reduce bail of $500,000 for Robert G. Paduano, Newport Beach businessman accused of 71 counts of extortion, false imprisonment and drug trafficking.

Superior Court Judge Robert R. Fitzgerald had doubled the bail to $500,000 after a similar case, which involved a kidnap for ransom charge, was filed against Paduano in Riverside County. Paduano’s attorneys argued Friday that prosecutors knew when the bail was originally set at $250,000 that the Riverside County charges were going to be filed. Deputy Dist. Atty. Christopher J. Evans, however, disputed that claim.

Fitzgerald ruled there were insufficient grounds for reducing the bail.

Paduano, 44, will return to court next Tuesday so that a trial judge can be assigned to his case. His trial is set for Sept. 12, but Evans said he expects numerous defense motions to delay it for several weeks.

Also next week, Evans intends to fight a court ruling giving Paduano “pro per” privileges at the Orange County Jail. That means Paduano has more freedoms in regard to mail delivery, equipment in his cell and visiting privileges.

“He doesn’t need to be pro per; he’s already got the best lawyer in the county,” said Evans, referring to John D. Barnett of Santa Ana, Paduano’s attorney.