Roger Clinton, Former Pres. Clinton's Brother, Expected to be Charged with 2 DUI Counts

REDONDO BEAC, CA - Former President Bill Clinton's half-brother, Roger Clinton, is scheduled to be arraigned Sept. 2 on two misdemeanor DUI counts stemming from his June 5 arrest, Redondo Beach's city prosecutor said Thursday.

Roger Clinton is facing one misdemeanor count each of driving under the influence of alcohol and driving with a blood-alcohol content of 0.08 percent, along with an allegation that he refused to submit to a chemical test, according to Redondo Beach City Prosecutor Melanie Chavira.

The charges have been prepared, but haven't officially been filed yet with the court, Chavira said.

Arraignment is set Sept. 2 in a Torrance courtroom, but he is not required to attend the hearing, according to Chavira.

Roger Clinton, 59, was arrested the evening of June 5 by Redondo Beach police. He was released on a $15,000 bond at 9:30 a.m. June 6, according to jail records.

If convicted of the two counts, Roger Clinton could face up to six months in custody and up to a $1,000 fine. The allegation that he refused to submit to a chemical test carries a mandatory 48-hour minimum jail sentence, she said.

Attorney Walter F. Wiggins Jr., who is currently representing Roger Clinton, said in a statement released today, "Given the filing of formal charges against Roger Clinton related to allegations of DUI, we look forward to working amicably with the city prosecutor in an effort to assess the evidence and arrive at a fair resolution of the matter."

Roger Clinton pleaded guilty in August 2001 to a misdemeanor count of reckless driving after Hermosa Beach city prosecutors agreed to drop two DUI charges and one count of disturbing the peace against him. He was sentenced then to two years probation, ordered not to drive with any alcohol or drugs in his system and to pay about $1,350 in fines and costs.

Attorney Mark Geragos, who handled that case on Roger Clinton's behalf, said then that he planned to ask for that conviction to be expunged so that it wouldn't be on Roger Clinton's record. Geragos could not be reached for immediate comment on whether that occurred.

— City News Service