Prosecutors Say Suspect Preyed on Women

A 57-year-old Massachusetts native went on trial in Los Angeles Superior Court on Thursday for allegedly preying on women by posing as an attorney and convincing them to give him money or have sex with him to get their loved ones released from jail. Richard Minsky is charged in incidents involving eight women from June to October 1998. Four of those were sexual assaults.

Prosecutors contend that Minsky randomly picked the names of women out of the phone book and called them from lavish hotels in the Los Angeles area. He told them their relative would get out of jail if a witness could be persuaded--by money or sex--not to press charges, prosecutors said.

Defense attorney Dale Atherton, in his opening statement, said Minsky did not break the law.