Loughlin: Show me evidence
“Full House” star Lori Loughlin wants prosecutors to show their hand before she argues any major motions in the college admissions bribery scandal.
Lawyers for the actress, her fashion designer husband Mossimo Giannulli and 15 other defendants filed joint paperwork Monday asking the judge to suspend all “substantive motions” in the criminal case until a June 3 status conference.
“At present, the defendants have not yet received any discovery in this case and have been told by the government that it is extremely voluminous,” the new filing in federal court in Boston states.
“Defendants would like an opportunity to review discovery in a meaningful way before filing of substantive motions in this case,” it says.
“Litigating substantive motions in a piecemeal fashion and before defendants have an opportunity to become familiar with the government’s evidence could substantially prejudice the defendants’ ability to make proper legal arguments to contest the allegations,” the filing reads.
Loughlin (photo) and Gianulli were arrested along with 31 other parents last month who have been accused of buying their children’s way into elite universities. At first, all the parents faced the same single count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud. Earlier this month, 13 of the parents, including actress Felicity Huffman, agreed to plead guilty in deals with prosecutors that sought to minimize their prison time.
Prosecutors claim Loughlin and Giannulli paid a total of $500,000 to have their two daughter admitted to USC as fake recruits to the university’s rowing team. Neither daughter had any competitive rowing experience.
A source told People.com on Monday that Loughlin is feeling “pressure” to take a plea deal in the case to spare her daughters.