Encino Lawyer to Be Tried Again in 1992 Slaying

An Encino lawyer convicted of fraud for his role in staging a car accident that killed a man will be tried again on a murder charge, officials said Monday.

Gary Paul Miller, 49, is to be arraigned Wednesday in Los Angeles Municipal Court on a charge that he was responsible for staging the 1992 crash that killed Jose Luis Lopez Perez.

Perez, 29, died when the car he was riding in intentionally swerved in front of a tractor-trailer truck, forcing the truck to crash into it on the Golden State Freeway in Sun Valley.

Miller was sentenced to six years in prison last February after he was convicted of nine felony counts of fraud and conspiracy. A jury, however, deadlocked in August 1996 on the murder charge.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Leonard Shaffer said he sought to retry Miller because he has also filed a murder charge against Elena Shamis, Miller’s former office manager, who Shaffer considers just as culpable in the crash that killed Perez.

“Elena and Gary Miller are at least equal with regards to these charges,” he said.

The cases against Shamis, and another defendant, Juan Carlos Amaya, are being stayed as both seek appeal from the California Supreme Court.

Shaffer said Miller was willing to plead guilty to manslaughter before the case went to trial, but added he did not know if Miller would be offered another plea bargain.

The driver of the car, Jorge Sanchez, was convicted of vehicular manslaughter and conspiracy to commit insurance fraud, and was sentenced to four years in prison.

Miller’s attorney, Harland Braun, did not return a phone call seeking comment.