Man Is Convicted in Motel Room Slaying of Lawyer

SANTA ANA — A man who said he was a male prostitute was convicted Tuesday of beating and strangling a 61-year-old attorney despite his claim that he acted in self-defense after the attorney tried to rape him in a Garden Grove motel room.

Attorney Seymour Pizer, 61, was slain April, 4, 1992. His body was later found in a Dana Point dumpster. Drifter Kurt Karcher, 25, was arrested a few days later, after he used Pizer’s credit card to pay for a hotel bill.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Richard King argued that Karcher was not acting in self-defense but had killed Pizer during a planned robbery.

Jurors deliberated about four days before finding Karcher guilty of first-degree murder. Karcher is likely to be sentenced to life in prison without parole for the slaying because it occurred during a robbery. Orange County Superior Court Judge Jean M. Rheinheimer is scheduled to sentence Karcher Aug. 20.

Karcher claimed that after being approached by Pizer, he agreed to perform a sex act for $100 and accompanied Pizer to the motel room, according to Deputy Public Defender David Biggs.

Biggs told jurors that Pizer tried to rape Karcher after the two went to a Garden Grove motel room. Karcher became enraged and attacked Pizer, using a strap to strangle him to prevent the sexual assault, Biggs told jurors.

Biggs declined to comment on the verdict.