Ed Jew Superior Court trial date setting postponed, attorney "confident"

Defense attorney Stuart Hanlon today requested more time
to prepare a legal defense for his client, suspended Supervisor Ed Jew.
Jew faces nine felony charges involving allegations of corruption
and violations of the city election code.
Photo by Scott Braley

By Ari Burack

November 26, 2007

Absent his suspended San Francisco supervisor client today in San Francisco Superior Court, the attorney for Ed Jew said he needed more time to prepare to defend him against charges he lied about his residency when he ran for office.

"Mr. Jew is not here today," attorney Stuart Hanlon told reporters this morning outside the courtroom. "He's confident. He's working in his flower shop."

"He's confident, I'm confident," Hanlon said. "But I need more time to get ready."

"It's a complex case, with a lot of witnesses," he said.

Hanlon had been in court to schedule a date for Jew's trial on nine felony charges he is facing in connection with alleged violations of the city election code.

There have been questions as to whether Jew actually lived in the district that he represented and whether he misrepresented his residence in candidate nominating documents.

In September, Mayor Gavin Newsom filed misconduct charges against Jew before the city's Ethics Commission and suspended Jew from office.

Both sets of charges are based on claims that Jew, a Chinatown flower shop owner, lived in Burlingame rather than a purported residence in the city's Sunset District before and after being elected to office last November.

The trial date setting was rescheduled this morning for Feb. 5 at 9 a.m.

Jew was ordered by Superior Court Judge Kay Tsenin to appear in court for the February hearing.

Hanlon acknowledged that Jew has received significant negative publicity in the media.

"But I'm convinced Mr. Jew will be able to get a fair trial" in San Francisco, he said.

Regarding the possibility of a plea agreement in the case, Hanlon offered, "There's always a possibility of a resolution, but for now it looks like we're going to trial."

Hanlon estimated that he would likely be ready for trial by April.

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