Bankruptcy Filing Stalls Suit Involving Antonovich : Court: Firm named as a co-defendant claims insolvency before a decision can be reached on damages against the supervisor and others.

After one of the defendants abruptly declared bankruptcy, a Superior Court jury was sent home Tuesday without deciding whether Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich owes damages for conspiring to influence a judge on behalf of a campaign donor.

The jury is scheduled to reconvene today in Norwalk, four days after finding in favor of a businessman who sued Antonovich, the county, campaign donor Krikor Suri and several of Suri’s business partners. The county was named because Antonovich was said to have acted within his official duties.

The plaintiff, Avedis Kasparian, is seeking $1.7 million in damages.

Antonovich has acknowledged calling Superior Court Judge Eric Younger, whom he described as an old friend, but denies any impropriety. He said he called the judge to offer himself as a character witness for Suri, whose jewelry business was being sued by Kasparian.

According to campaign finance reports, Suri and his companies contributed about $19,000 to Antonovich’s campaigns from 1985 to 1989. A $3,000 contribution was made after Antonovich called the judge, reports show.

Norwalk Superior Court Judge William W. Bedsworth adjourned the case early Tuesday after Suri and the other businessmen told him outside the presence of the jury that their company, Western Jewelry Mart Joint Venture, had declared bankruptcy that morning. To avoid influencing the jurors, Bedsworth did not tell them the reason for Tuesday’s delay and ordered them not to read any newspapers.

Under bankruptcy laws, a creditor cannot seek damages from a company that has declared insolvency, making it impossible for Kasparian to win damages from Western Jewelry Mart without a court order.

Kasparian’s attorney, Bruce Altschuld, said he plans to seek an order from the bankruptcy judge assigned to the case, allowing his client to win damages from Western Jewelry Mart.

“It is a bad-faith filing intended to delay the damage phase of the trial,” Altschuld said. “They claim they are bankrupt, but we believe there are assets.”

Suri’s attorney, Frank V. Zerunyan, declined to comment on the company’s financial status. He said his client plans to appeal the verdict.

“The public outcry with reference to politicians really prejudiced the mind of the jurors,” he said. “The evidence was not there. In fact, the evidence showed the opposite.”

Altschuld said that if the bankruptcy judge turns down his request, the burden for any damages could fall more heavily on the individual businessmen, Antonovich and the county.

Principal Deputy County Counsel J. Patrick Joyce confirmed Tuesday that the county could end up footing part of the bill.

“I suppose it would be the taxpayers,” Joyce said. “But we really don’t know how significant it will be. It could be $1 or $1 million.”

A spokeswoman for Antonovich said the county should pay any damage award because the supervisor was acting in his official capacity.

But Lynne Plambeck, one of six challengers who ran against Antonovich in June, 1992, said Tuesday that the supervisor should have to pay any damages out of his own pocket or campaign fund. During last year’s campaign, Plambeck and the other five challengers claimed that Antonovich’s board decisions are influenced by campaign contributions. But despite a crowded field, Antonovich won his fourth term with 55% of the vote in the sprawling 5th District.