S. Pasadena City Attorney Quits; Ex-Official Sentenced

With her city facing three legal claims since she took office last month, the city attorney for South Pasadena resigned Thursday, one day after the City Council effectively doubled her required hours.

Meanwhile, a former South Pasadena assistant city manager pleaded guilty to embezzlement while avoiding jail time, as the woes facing the San Gabriel Valley town continued to grow.

Stunned city officials would not comment on the resignation of Judith Roberts, who was hired July 17 after the city terminated its contract with Roberts’ law firm. Roberts was dismissed from the firm when she became city attorney.

Since Roberts was hired, a woman has filed a claim against the city, alleging she had sex with two on-duty police officers and was so traumatized that she ended up firing a gun from the police station. Another woman has sued the city, alleging that police covered up an officer-involved hit-and-run crash. Finally, a fired volunteer police officer filed a claim against the city this week, asserting he was wrongfully dismissed. None of the alleged incidents occurred during Roberts’ tenure.

At its meeting Wednesday night, the council approved an interim agreement for the city attorney, effectively doubling her required hours and retainer. Sources said Roberts had been working extensive hours during the city’s recent legal woes.

Mayor Dorothy Cohen said Roberts announced her resignation Thursday morning, and refused to comment on the reason. Cohen has called an emergency closed council meeting for Monday to discuss the city attorney situation.

In a single-sentence release to The Times on Thursday afternoon, Roberts gave no reason for her resignation. She did not return calls for comment.

Roberts’ resignation came only hours after former Assistant City Manager Charles M. Conn pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement for taking thousands of dollars from a public organization’s fund this spring.

Conn had resigned after he was arrested by South Pasadena police earlier this month on suspicion of twice taking money from the fund. The first time, he was caught by supervisors, who ordered him to return the money, officials said.

Conn was sentenced Thursday to a suspended 180-day jail sentence, five years’ probation, a $2,200 fine and 400 hours of community service--but no jail time--under a plea bargain with prosecutors.