Huttenback’s Conviction Upheld

VENTURA —  The 2nd District Court of Appeal on Wednesday upheld the embezzlement conviction of former UC Santa Barbara Chancellor Robert A. Huttenback, but overturned the conviction of his wife, Freda.

The Huttenbacks were convicted in July, 1988, of embezzling more than $100,000 in university funds spent on improving their Santa Barbara home.

Huttenback, who resigned in 1986, was fined $60,000, ordered to perform 1,000 hours of community service and placed on five years’ probation. His wife was fined $10,000 and given the same probation time.

In a 78-page ruling, a three-judge appeal court panel unanimously rejected Huttenback’s argument that he did not receive a fair trial because of pretrial publicity. The justices also found sufficient evidence to support his embezzlement conviction.

In overturning Freda Huttenback’s conviction, the appeal court noted that she was not a university employee and was not entrusted with university funds. The ruling said there was no evidence she knew that university funds could not be spent on the home improvements.

Dennis A. Fischer, the Los Angeles attorney who handled the couple’s appeal, said he probably will ask the state Supreme Court to review Robert Huttenback’s case.