Enochs trial could start next month

By: JOHN HALL - Staff Writer
Murrieta city councilman faces 14 felony counts | Tuesday, September 11, 2007 11:43 PM PDT ∞

RIVERSIDE -- Murrieta City Councilman Warnie Enochs' trial on extortion, forgery and conspiracy charges could begin in about a month, attorneys said Tuesday.

Enochs, 58, faces 14 felony counts. None of the charges filed against him involve his duties as a city councilman, a position he has held since 1995.

If he is convicted as now charged, Enochs faces up to eight years in state prison. His trial date is now set for Oct. 17.

On Tuesday, the prosecutor and Enochs' defense attorney appeared at the Hall of Justice in Riverside, potentially to begin the trial.

However, defense attorney Virginia Blumenthal requested a continuance, based on several reasons including recently receiving some new documents from the prosecution related to the case. Enochs was not in the courtroom.

Deputy District Attorney Richard West agreed to delay the start of the trial as well, but told Judge Roger Luebs, he would hope to get the trial started before Blumenthal becomes embroiled in a death-penalty case, which can take a lengthy time to hold and conclude.

Luebs asked Blumenthal if she would have enough time by Oct. 17 to look over the new documents from the prosecution, so as to be properly prepared for Enochs' trial.

"I believe I can get the remainder of the investigation done by then," she said.

Previously filed court documents detail the criminal acts prosecutors allege Enochs, an electrical contractor, committed over several years.

Some stem from a fire that destroyed a Lake Elsinore church under construction in July 2003. Enochs' company, A to Z Lighting, was contracted to do the electrical work while another Murrieta company, owned by Dan Williams, was contracted for the roofing job.

Prosecutors have charged Enochs with a number of criminal counts involving his interaction with Williams after the fire, such as Enochs procuring a false mechanic's lien from Williams, as well as extorting money from him.

Some of the alleged criminal activity related to a bitter divorce in which Enochs was involved at the time.

Enochs is alleged by prosecutors to have threatened another contractor, George Osmond, who did some tile work at Enochs' Murrieta home. Enochs demanded that Osmond write and sign a declaration that included derogatory remarks about Julia Enochs which he was going to include in his divorce proceedings, prosecutors said.

Osmond, however, didn't write up the declaration to Enochs' expectations -- including something about Julia having an affair with one of Osmond's workers -- so Enochs threatened to break his leg if he didn't do it the way he wanted, according to court documents.

Enochs is accused by prosecutors of ultimately adding details Osmond says he didn't write in the declaration and then forging Osmond's name.

Enochs has also been charged with three felony counts that allege he forged the name and badge number of a nonexistent Murrieta police officer on a "fix-it" ticket he received in August 2002, while on his boat on Big Bear Lake.

-- Contact staff writer John Hall at (951) 676-4315, Ext. 2628, or jhall@californian.com.