Alex Constantine - November 12, 2008
Rockefeller's divorce records being sought
By Frank C. Girardot
Whittier Daily News
11/06/2008
District Attorney's investigators probing a 23-year-old San Marino missing persons case have asked to take a look at the divorce records of Clark Rockefeller in Massachusetts, officials said Thursday. The records, which are sealed, are in the possession of the Suffolk County Family & Probate Court in Boston.
A court hearing on the request is scheduled for Wednesday, officials said.
The request was made in open court, but neither the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office nor the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department would say what information is being sought by detectives.
"We are working very closely with the Sheriff's Department drafting requests and drafting warrants," said Sandi Gibbons, a spokeswoman for the District Attorney's office. ...
Residents of San Marino recalled Chichester as a bit of a "gadfly" who hosted a public access television show and bragged about his lineage as a descendant of European royalty.
He was a tenant of John Sohus' mother, Didi, at the time of couple's disappearance in 1985.
Chichester briefly resurfaced in Greenwich, Conn., in 1988 driving John Sohus' pickup truck. He was wanted in connection with the disappearance at the time, but was never questioned. Gerhartsreiter's trail went cold until July when Boston police sought Clark Rockefeller in connection with the abduction of his daughter, Reigh "Snooks" Boss. ...
Meanwhile, Rockefeller's new defense attorney has filed a motion asking for the return of about $280,000 in gold coins that were seized by the FBI when he was arrested. The coins were part of the divorce settlement, officials said.
"Essentially, it's his money, and the government has no right to it," Jeffrey Denner told the Associated Press Thursday.
Wark said prosecutors "agree in spirit with the request."
"We are not opposed to the release of the gold, which is not physically critical to our case," Wark said. "There are certain conditions we'd like to see met first."
A hearing on the request was postponed until Dec. 1.
http://www.whittierdailynews.com/news/ci_10922023