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Uploaded: Friday, December 28, 2012, 9:47 AM
Palo Alto lawyer sentenced for bribery attempt
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by Sue Dremann
Palo Alto Weekly Staff
A Palo Alto patent attorney who was convicted of attempting to bribe a police officer and drunken driving after being pulled over outside a Colma casino received an 8-month jail sentence with three years of supervised probation on Thursday, Dec. 27.
Richard Chae, 39, was convicted on June 28 of drunk driving and making three separate offers to Colma police officers to let him go. He had two prior DUI convictions from 7 and 8 years ago, according to the San Mateo County District Attorney's Office.
Chae had left the Lucky Chances Casino on Feb. 26, 2010, when he was stopped by officers. He had a blood-alcohol level of .13 percent, according to the DA's office. He offered police $900, then $5,000, and finally $35,000 if police would let him go. When he was searched, police found $1,055 cash and $135 casino chips in his pockets.
Judge Robert Atack rejected a defense motion for a new trial, which Chae's attorney based on incompetence of counsel for failing to object to admission of the defendant's statements on Miranda grounds.
The court imposed the sentence with no credit for time served. Chae must abstain from alcohol, submit to chemical testing, possess no weapons or ammunition, pay a $2,331 fine, enter and complete the Multiple Offender Program, and not drive with any alcohol in his system. He was ordered to pay restitution and other fines and must have genetic-marker testing. His driver's license has been revoked for three years. He was taken into custody to start serving his county-jail sentence.
Chae's license to practice law was suspended by the California State Bar Association on Oct. 19 for having a felony involving moral turpitude because of the bribery conviction.Are you receiving Express, our free daily e-mail edition? See a sample and sign-up for Express.
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Posted by Frank, a resident of another community, on Dec 28, 2012 at 9:59 am Good! Now I don't have to worry about this guy drinking and driving for three years. Wish it could be forever!!
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Posted by randy albin, a resident of Mountain View, on Dec 28, 2012 at 10:39 am lawyers should know better than this. maybe all of the other politicians will be leaping over the fiscal cliff. if you are able to be a licensed attorney, you better take better care of your activities
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Posted by the_punnisher, a resident of Mountain View, on Dec 28, 2012 at 11:05 am
the_punnisher is a member (registered user) of Palo Alto Online [Post removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]
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Posted by Charlie, a resident of the Duveneck/St. Francis neighborhood, on Dec 28, 2012 at 11:22 am [Post removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]
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Posted by Gethin, a resident of the Midtown neighborhood, on Dec 28, 2012 at 12:20 pm An excellent result and thanks to all the folks who brought it about.
I would probably never give him his license back ...
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Posted by slap on the wrist, a resident of the Downtown North neighborhood, on Dec 28, 2012 at 12:21 pm Seems to me that 8 months is a slap on the wrist for 3 DUI convictions. Add on the bribery and he should get 8 years, not 8 months.
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Posted by Testing, a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood, on Dec 28, 2012 at 12:25 pm Why genetic marker testing?
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Posted by Scholar, a resident of Menlo Park, on Dec 28, 2012 at 1:07 pm He'll do the 8 months in the slam then start driving again, without a license, during probation.
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Posted by Hmmm, a resident of East Palo Alto, on Dec 28, 2012 at 3:59 pm This reminds me of a successful attorney I saw go down hill. Her drinking & substance abuse cost her her marriage & custody of her kids, getting kicked out of multiple courtrooms in the county (she was a litigator & showed up drunk), then arrested in a drug house. At some point, while a county-paid attorney, she was busted for a DUI in the middle of the day & bit one of the corrections officers or something like that. She's now disbarred & her family sent her through multiple rehabs. What a waste - not to mention, a danger.
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Posted by Rational, a resident of the Downtown North neighborhood, on Dec 29, 2012 at 7:52 am Eight months is a slap on the wrist? Wow think about a professional with a job and a house and a family. Eight months in jail is pretty long, and for the convictions this persons career is bent out of shape for life. I would think this is a meaningful deterrent to anyone.
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Posted by Steve C, a resident of Menlo Park, on Dec 29, 2012 at 10:39 am A life changing event, but better him than some innocent victim(s) and their family. He is fortunate that he has one chance to climb back since he is not disbarred. Sounds like a combination of addictions, alcohol and gambling, not promising, but maybe seeing what life is really like on the other side of the fence will shock him into a life change. Sad for his family. Hope the mom has the ability to carry them through this.
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