Lori Loughlin was hit with what legal experts are calling a “big blow” on Friday when a judge refused to toss out her case as she continues to face charges related to the college admissions scandal. Now, experts are weighing in on Loughlin’s chances going forward while also slamming her for the “arrogance” she has shown so far.
“The ruling is a huge setback for Loughlin’s defense team, and eliminates their only chance of getting the case dismissed before trial,” said Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor who is now in private practice in Los Angeles at West Coast Trial Lawyers [1]. “Lori better be prepared to face a jury of her peers in October, because that is her only chance of beating these charges.”
Loughlin and her husband Mossimo Giannulli are each facing 45 years in prison if convicted on all the charges against them, according to Mercury News [2]. They had reportedly felt confidant that Judge Nathanial Gorton would dismiss their case on Friday due to prosecutorial misconduct, but he ended up deciding not to rule in their favor and to instead allow the case to move forward.
“After consideration of the extensive briefing, affidavits and other information provided by the government and defendants, the court is satisfied that the government has not lied to or misled the Court,” Gorton wrote in his decision.
A source told Entertainment Tonight [3] that Loughlin was left feeling “nervous” by Gorton’s ruling, adding that the former “Fuller House” actress feels that she is living in “a bad dream she can’t wake up from.”
Washington D.C.-based attorney Mark Zaid tweeted that Gorton’s ruling was “correct” while also blasting Loughlin for her “unbelievable arrogance.”
“As it should be. I’ve rep’d two students implicated in the academic scandal. One parent went to jail. Loughlin & daughter have displayed no remorse & unbelievable arrogance that they have done nothing wrong,” he wrote. “Justice should always be blind. #RuleOfLaw.”
As it should be. I’ve rep’d two students implicated in the academic scandal. One parent went to jail. Loughlin & daughter have displayed no remorse & unbelievable arrogance that they have done nothing wrong.
Justice should always be blind. #RuleOfLaw [4] https://t.co/M9nmL0CpUf [5]
— Mark S. Zaid (@MarkSZaidEsq) May 8, 2020 [6]
Zaid represented the son of Stephen Semprevivo, a Los Angeles executive who paid $400,000 in bribe money to have his child admitted to Georgetown University as a fake tennis recruit. Unlike Loughlin and Giannulli [7], Semprevivo took “full responsibility” for his actions and was sentenced to four months in prison after he apologized to his son, his family and to “all the college-bound students and their parents.” Zaid compared Semprevivo and other parents who took plea deals with the parents involved in the case who are still fighting.
“I think it’s very risky, very aggressive posture to take,” Zaid said. “Essentially, I view it as an all-or-nothing defense. If successful, then obviously they will be ecstatic. They willl have gotten off scot-free. Their defense will have cost them a tremendous amount of money. If they fail, if they are convicted, they are going to go away and serve a significant amount of time.”
Despite the fact that she is risking spending decades in jail, sources close to her still say that she believes the truth is on her side.
“Lori is convinced she did nothing wrong,” a source said. “Despite her setback, she has no plans to back down” from her not guilty plea. “She strongly believes that (Singer) misrepresented himself and, because she thought he’d acted on behalf of the school, she feels she is innocent.”
This piece originally appeared in UpliftingToday.com [8] and is used by permission.
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Meghan Markle Says Palace Would Have Made Changes If Kate Was Being ‘Relentlessly Picked on’ by Media [10]
Chilling Last Words of South Carolina Woman Before She Was Killed by Alligator – ‘I Guess I Won’t Do This Again’ [11]