Former Nevada elected official seeks new trial in San Diego

Sunday, Dec. 11, 2005 | 2:12 a.m.

SAN DIEGO - Citing newly discovered evidence, lawyers for a former county commissioner from Nevada have filed a motion for a new trial in his San Diego corruption case.

They cite an audiotape that former Clark County Commissioner Lance Malone secretly recorded during a recent conversation with government witness Nevita Thompson, the girlfriend of former strip club mogul Michael Galardi.

During the trial earlier this year, Thompson corroborated Galardi's testimony that he gave Malone $10,000 in cash in April 2003. Galardi said the money was for three San Diego city councilmen.

But in the recent conversation, Malone lawyers maintain, Thompson said she never saw Galardi give Malone the cash.

The conversation came after Thompson and Galardi were arrested Nov. 1 in a domestic dispute.

Attorney Robert Rose, who represents Galardi, accused Malone of pressuring Thompson to change her story.

"(The transcript) reads like a desperate man facing prison time who's trying to manipulate a friend, who's trying to manipulate her to change her testimony, actually to change her memory and make her responsible for his conviction," Rose told the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Malone was convicted of corruption charges in July along with San Diego City Councilmen Ralph Inzunza and Michael Zucchet.

Malone's charges stemmed from actions he took while working as a lobbyist for Galardi, who pleaded guilty and cooperated with authorities.

Malone was accused of bribing the councilmen on Galardi's behalf in exchange for their help in repealing a San Diego law that banned touching between strippers and their customers.

Malone faces similar corruption charges in a Las Vegas case set to begin next year.

Last month, U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Miller granted Zucchet a new trial and expressed doubts about Galardi's credibility.

Miller rejected requests for new trials from Malone, whom he sentenced to three years in prison, and Inzunza, whom he sentenced to 21 months.

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Information from: Las Vegas Review-Journal, http://www.lvrj.com