Bonaventure criticizes attorneys on both sides of high-profile case

Kim Smith

Tuesday, April 10, 2001 | 11:01 a.m.

Attorneys in the Margaret Rudin trial are getting more of a taste of District Judge Joseph Bonaventure's legendary temper as the trial heads into its seventh week.

Bonaventure gave a tongue-lashing to both sides during two incidents on Monday, and the trial hadn't gone five minutes this morning before the jury had to be excused again for another lecture.

This morning Chief Deputy District Attorney Chris Owens was the first to end up on the receiving end of Bonaventure's anger. The judge learned the state hadn't told the defense about an inconsistent statement made by one of the state's own witnesses -- a statement the defense could have used to impeached the witness.

Bonaventure then yelled at Owens for questioning a Metro Police detective out of order.

The judge also chastised defense attorney Thomas Pitaro, saying his objections were getting "ridiculous," and he should stop making so many.

Prosecutors told Bonaventure they expected to wrap up their case today, but with all of the delays and at least one unexpected witness yet to take the stand, jurors may end up back in court Wednesday before taking a scheduled break in the trial.

Trial watchers will have to wait until next week to hear the defense's side. Bonaventure agreed last week to give the defense attorneys a few days off to better prepare their case.

Prosecutors are attempting to prove that Rudin, 56, shot her husband to death on Dec. 18, 1994, in order to get her share of his $11 million estate.

Ronald Rudin's decapitated and charred remains were found near Lake Mohave on Jan. 21, 1995.

Rudin's defense attorneys have argued that not only are there other, more likely suspects, but there is no proof Ronald Rudin, 64, was shot to death in his bedroom, as prosecutors allege.

If the state can't prove that Ronald Rudin died in his bed, the defense attorneys contend, they can't prove a link between Rudin and the slaying.

Michael Amador told jurors in his opening arguments that the real estate developer was involved in fraudulent land schemes and his trustees had more "means, motive and opportunity" to kill him.

One of those trustees, Sharron Cooper, was cross-examined Monday.

Cooper, 60, admitted she notarized Ronald Rudin's signature even when he used false names. However, she said she was completely surprised to learn that she was a trustee and beneficiary of Ronald Rudin.

Cooper also denied Amador's suggestion that she owed Ronald Rudin $30,000 or that she knew Ronald Rudin was getting multimillion-dollar offers for property in Lee Canyon that he had paid $550,000 for.

Amador said that when the trustees sold the property for $6 million in 1996, they made far more money than Ronald Rudin would have if he had sold it because the trustees didn't have to pay capital gain taxes.

Cooper, who inherited $700,000 from Ronald Rudin's estate, said she didn't know if that was the case.

Owens and co-prosecutor Gary Guymon erupted into objections when Amador asked Cooper if she provided an alibi for Ronald Rudin on the day his third wife was found dead of a gunshot wound in the head.

After the jury was sent out of the courtroom, the prosecutors told Bonaventure that Peggy Rudin's death was ruled a suicide. Guymon said Amador didn't have a "good faith basis" for questioning Cooper about Peggy Rudin's death.

"That was nothing but a cheap, cheap, cheap, cheap shot," Guymon said.

Both prosecutors asked Bonaventure to impose sanctions against Amador, noting that it is not the first time Amador has ignored instructions from the judge.

When Amador said his good faith basis for bringing up the subject was conversations with his client, Bonaventure lit into him.

"Anything she tells you -- you're going to bring it up in court? It doesn't matter what I tell you? Is that true, Mr. Amador?"

Bonaventure said he would consider imposing sanctions against Amador after the trial and warned him that he is "building a record" of his improper conduct.

Later in the afternoon, Owens was lectured by Bonaventure.

Owens was questioning a friend of Rudin's when defense attorney John Momot objected, saying he hadn't been provided the information elicited ahead of time.

Bonaventure agreed, remarking that "trial by ambush" had been abolished a long time ago.

The judge went on to lament that the trial is suffering because Amador wrongly accused Guymon back in February of unethical conduct and demanded Guymon's resignation.

"This case has a lot of resentment and a lot of lack of communication, and it can't go on," Bonaventure said.

Bonaventure warned the attorneys that they needed to start showing more respect for the judicial system.

Metro homicide Detective James Vaccaro is expected to be the second-to-last witness for the state. On Monday he repeated what his partner, Phil Ramos, told jurors about their first visit with Rudin.

Vaccaro said that after he and Ramos told Rudin her husband was dead and his remains had been found, she dug her knuckle into her eye as if to make herself cry.