BANKING & FINANCE - Dec. 3, 1992

Keating Loses Bid for Mid-Trial Acquittal: A federal judge, ruling after the prosecution rested in Charles H. Keating Jr.’s conspiracy, fraud and racketeering trial, rejected a defense request to clear the former Lincoln Savings & Loan operator and his son of all charges. But U.S. District Judge Mariana R. Pfaelzer said she had “some doubt” about three counts of bankruptcy fraud and might rule differently after the defense presents its side of the case. The first defense witness was Robert M. Wurzelbacher Jr., one of Keating’s sons-in-law and a top executive in the Irvine thrift’s parent company, American Continental Corp. in Phoenix. Lincoln and American Continental collapsed in April, 1989.