Local fraud case outlasting O.J., The Unabomber

It took about 10 months to arrest, try and convict Claudine Longet for homicide in Aspen in 1976-77.

It was roughly 14 months from the day O.J. Simpson turned himself over to Los Angeles police to his acquittal and the conclusion of the Trial of the Century in 1995.

Martha Stewart’s obstruction of justice case: 10 months from indictment to trial to conviction.

Federal prosecutors worked 21 months to broker a plea deal with The Unabomber.

Longer than all those complicated criminal spectacles, however, is the ever-languishing case of the People of Colorado versus Peter J. Frommer, whose prosecution is nearing two years of age. Frommer was arrested in Woody Creek in February 2007 on fraud charges, and has been a fixture at the Pitkin County Courthouse’s twice-a-month felony settings ever since. He will appear in court yet again today.

Frommer’s case, if not resolved today, will surpass the duration of the prosecution of Enron chief executive Kenneth Lay for fraud and conspiracy.

Alleged scam artist Frommer, who long ago waived his Constitutional right to a speedy trial, faces 33 fraud-related felony charges stemming from a string of bad checks he allegedly wrote and complaints from investors in his telecommunications company that he allegedly bilked. The number of charges has tripled since his arrest.

He was set to stand trial this month, but it was canceled in September when he reached an agreement with the district attorney’s office through which he would plead guilty to a lesser charge or charges.

Part of the agreement, however, was that Frommer pay everyone to whom he owed money. His plea has been delayed since, as that condition has apparently not been met.

Before that, he was set to stand trial last May. However, as the trial date approached he said he had hired a private attorney. He was represented by the public defender’s office at the time, and said his new attorney would only take his case if given more time to prepare for trial.

That attorney — allegedly from Denver’s Haddon, Morgan, and Foreman — never made a court appearance on Frommer’s behalf.

He is currently represented by California-based Robert A. Koenig, who entered his first appearance for Frommer via telephone in June.

He has had three separate attorneys since his arrest, not including the no-show from Denver, and most of the time has been represented by the public defender’s office. Progress in the case was hamstrung for months last year when the public defender attempted to withdraw, claiming Frommer was not truly indigent and did not qualify for a taxpayer-funded defense. After his re-application was denied twice, a district court judge ruled that he was eligible for public representation.

Frommer is slated to enter a plea today. But if he has still not met the DA’s condition, he may be granted more time to pay off his debtors or he could move toward another trial date.

Stay tuned.

andrew@aspendailynews.com