Ng Defender Loses Bid to Remove Judge

SANTA ANA — A Los Angeles judge has denied a defense request for removal of an Orange County Superior Court judge from the trial of Charles Ng, accused of serial murders.

The Orange County public defender’s office asked Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Robert Parkin last month to disqualify Judge Robert Fitzgerald.

Defense attorneys argued that statements Fitzgerald made during court hearings on the case showed that he was biased against Ng and overly eager to preside over his trial.

But in a five-page ruling this week, Parkin denied the request, saying he could find no bias in Fitzgerald’s statements.

Deputy Public Defender Allyn Jaffrey, who is representing Ng, said her office plans to appeal Parkin’s decision.

Fitzgerald could not be reached for comment. But in the past he has denied showing any bias toward Ng.

Ng, 33, of the San Francisco Bay Area, is accused of torturing, mutilating and murdering a dozen people, including one Orange County man, on a remote ranch in Calaveras County in 1984 and 1985. Ng was arrested in Canada, and in 1991 was brought back to California.

His case was moved to Orange County nearly a year ago after his lawyers complained that intensive media coverage of the case jeopardized his chances of receiving a fair trial in Calaveras County.