A 76-year-old former attorney, David Replogle, has been sentenced to life in prison for his involvement in the 2008 murder of art dealer and Palm Springs socialite Clifford Lambert.
Replogle, convicted nearly two years ago, played a key role in the death of Lambert and the subsequent theft of his assets, including a large art collection and over $185,000 from his bank accounts.
The Crime and Conviction
On December 5, 2008, Clifford Lambert, 74, was stabbed to death in his home by a group of six individuals, including Replogle. After the murder, the suspects transported Lambert’s body to a remote mountainside in Los Angeles, where they buried it. Authorities later discovered Lambert’s remains, identified through a jawbone and skull.
Replogle was convicted of several charges, including first-degree murder, criminal conspiracy, burglary, grand theft, identity theft, and forgery.
The prosecutor’s office stated that Replogle, who used his legal expertise, forged power of attorney documents that enabled the conspirators to access Lambert’s bank accounts and steal a significant sum of money.
Legal History and Delays
While Replogle was initially found guilty in 2010, the verdict was overturned due to prosecutorial misconduct. The misconduct involved a comment made by a judge, which referred to one of the co-defendants’ HIV status and led to the annulment of the conviction.
The case was delayed further by motions for a new trial, but those were denied, ultimately leading to Replogle’s sentencing this past Friday.
Despite his conviction, Replogle has maintained his innocence. In a recent interview with the Bay Area Reporter, he compared his trial to a “show trial” in Putin’s Russia, claiming he was unable to call witnesses who might have helped his case.
Co-Defendants and Their Sentences
Several co-defendants were convicted alongside Replogle for their roles in the murder and theft. Kaushal Niroula, Daniel Garcia, Miguel Bustamante, Craig McCarthy, and Russell Manning were all involved in the crime.
Manning and Niroula died after their convictions. Garcia and Bustamante were also sentenced to life in prison, while McCarthy pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in exchange for his cooperation and is eligible for parole next year.
One of the more bizarre aspects of the case was Niroula’s claim to be an exiled prince from Nepal, a detail that attracted additional media attention.
The Impact of the Case
The case became a notorious example of a violent conspiracy that led to the death of an individual for the purpose of stealing his assets. The involvement of a lawyer, who used his legal credentials to manipulate the system and further his co-conspirators’ plans, made the case even more shocking.
With Replogle’s sentencing, the case has come to a close, marking the end of a lengthy legal battle that spanned over a decade.
