2 Charges Dismissed Against Lawyer Over Alleged Attack

A San Fernando Municipal Court judge dismissed charges of attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon against a Studio City attorney accused of pulling a knife on a disgruntled client and trying to kill him.

But Judge John C. Gunn ordered Michael A. Dorfman to stand trial on charges of attempted robbery, threatening a witness and being an accessory to attempted murder after the fact, Deputy Dist. Atty. Edwin F. Greene said.

Dorfman will be arraigned in Superior Court next month.

Gunn found that “there was insufficient evidence” that Dorfman had a knife when he confronted former client Halhatvr Sogomonian, 31, of North Hollywood, said Dorfman’s attorney, James E. Blatt.

“Sogomonian’s injuries were no more than scratches and abrasions,” Blatt said. “Dorfman never had a knife.”

The charges against Dorfman stemmed from an April 3 confrontation at Sogomonian’s Pacoima pawnshop in the 10700 block of Glenoaks Boulevard, Greene said.

When a discussion between the two over Dorfman’s handling of Sogomonian’s civil case escalated, Dorfman kicked a glass display case and tried to grab jewelry, then slashed Sogomonian with a small knife as Sogomonian tried to prevent the robbery, Greene said.

Two other men entered the store. One of them pointed a gun at Sogomonian and twice tried to shoot him, the prosecutor said. When the gun misfired, Dorfman and the two men fled in Dorfman’s car, Greene said.

But a witness who testified during the preliminary hearing said she did not see a gun in the hands of the alleged gunman, Blatt said.

“It also came out that the alleged victim had a 9-millimeter and pointed it during the incident,” Blatt said.

After the pawnshop scuffle, Dorfman went to Sogomonian’s house and threatened to burn it down if Sogomonian notified authorities, Greene said.

The dispute was a case of “two individuals acting immaturely . . . losing their tempers,” Blatt said. “I don’t think it’s anything more than that.”

Greene said the district attorney’s office had not decided if it will refile the dismissed charges.