Steel will continue to face felony charges

Deepa Bharath

SANTA ANA -- A Superior Court judge on Friday denied a motion by Chris

Steel’s attorney’s to reduce felony charges against the Costa Mesa

councilman.

Steel’s attorney, Ron Cordova, requested the court bring down the

charges from felony to misdemeanor. Judge Edward Laird denied the motion,

saying the prosecution had presented adequate evidence for the case to

proceed with the felony charges.

“The burden of proof has been satisfied,” he said, after prosecutor

Mike Lubinski presented his witness, Investigator Jaime Joyce, and

several audio tapes consisting of Joyce’s interrogation of Steel, as well

as voicemail messages that Steel left for the investigator.

The prosecution made the unusual move Thursday to put most of its

evidence on the table during a preliminary hearing in an attempt to prove

to the court that they could substantiate the felony charges.

The Orange County district attorney on May 16 charged Steel with two

felony counts, accusing Steel of allowing Costa Mesa resident Richard

Noack to sign election nomination papers on behalf of his wife, Marilyn,

during last year’s council election.

Steel is also accused of signing for Alice Billioux in 1998. Billioux

was legally blind at the time and has since passed away. Steel is charged

with perjury for signing the Declaration of the Circulator stating the

signatures were genuine.

Lubinski tried to establish that Steel had admitted to knowing that

Noack signed for his wife and to helping Billioux sign the papers.

Cordova said his client admits he made a mistake.

“I’m not trying to say these [nomination] papers are models of proper

procedure,” he told the court Friday. “But is this conduct equally

reprehensible as a conduct of grand theft, or rape or assault with a

bodily injury?”

No, said Cordova, arguing that Steel’s actions do not warrant a felony

charge.

Steel was offered a plea bargain by the district attorney last month

before the charges were filed. The councilman refused the deal, which

dictated that he plead guilty to a misdemeanor and give up his council

seat.

After Friday’s hearing, Steel said he is “disappointed” by the court’s

decision and declined to comment further.

Steel is scheduled to be arraigned July 10 at the Superior Court in

Santa Ana.