Molestation trial gets underway

Marisa O’Neil

Jury selection is scheduled to start Wednesday in the trial of a

Corona del Mar woman accused of sexually molesting a teenage girl.

The trial of Victoria Hawlish, 41, is expected to last 10 days,

attorneys said in court Monday. Because of its length, jurors will be

pre-screened to make sure they can commit to a trial of that length,

Orange County Superior Court Judge Carla M. Singer said.

Hawlish is charged with five counts of committing a lewd act on a

child during a four-month period in 2003. She was arrested in April

of 2004 on suspicion that she inappropriately touched a 15-year-old

family friend who was living in her home.

Attorneys discussed some pretrial matters in the case on Monday.

Singer granted a motion by prosecutor Jana Hoffman, who asked the

judge to exclude witnesses from the courtroom during all proceedings.

The judge then ordered Hawlish’s husband, who has sat with her in

court during her previous appearances, out of the courtroom.

Attorneys also discussed possible witnesses in the case. Both

submitted lengthy witness lists -- 38 names on the prosecution’s and

more than 60 on the defense’s list.

Singer asked the attorneys if they could pare down the lists.

Hawlish, her blond hair pulled back with a black bow, vigorously

shook her head, saying, “No, no, no,” to her attorney, Albert DeBlanc

Jr.

The judge did not rule on whether to allow the testimony of some

adults submitted on the prosecution’s witness list.

Singer is expected to rule on some outstanding issues in the case

this afternoon, including the admissibility of allegations of a

previous incident with Hawlish and another young girl. She will also

consider whether prosecutors can omit portions of a taped phone

interview with the alleged victim that they say would violate

portions of the state’s rape shield law.

* MARISA O’NEIL covers public safety and courts. She may be

reached at (714) 966-4618 or by e-mail at marisa.oneil @latimes.com.