GRAND JURY REPORT ON INVESTIGATION OF CLINIC DIRECTOR SEALED UNTIL MAY 9.

Byline: Mary Schubert Daily News Staff Writer

A grand jury's decision regarding the director of Val Verde's health clinic will remain under wraps for three more weeks because one of the defendants in the case was absent Friday from a downtown Los Angeles courtroom.

Edwin Seth Brown, 44, has been investigated on suspicion he prepared false evidence that John Campbell and Jay Kapac completed court-ordered community service at his clinic. The cases against Campbell and Kapac, both 44, and Brown were heard by a Los Angeles County grand jury Monday for possible indictments, and the panel sent its decision to be unsealed in Superior Court Judge John Reid's courtroom.

But Campbell wasn't there Friday for the scheduled unsealing, so it was postponed to May 9.

``Because Mr. Campbell wasn't present, the grand jury findings could not be unsealed,'' said Ashley Posner, who, along with attorney Paula Elden, is representing Brown. ``He was off on a camping trip and never got notice that there was a grand jury hearing taking place.''

Kapac and Brown were in the courtroom, along with their lawyers and Campbell's.

Brown was charged in Newhall Municipal Court with 11 felony counts, including conspiracy with two friends in fraud about the community service work.

Brown runs the Samuel Dixon Family Health Center, which operates in part on government funds.

Campbell was working off a penalty for trespassing and Kapac had been convicted of a felony marijuana charge.

Authorities maintain that Brown and his friends submitted untrue statements on court forms about the community service work and that much of the work was done at Brown's home, not the clinic. The defendants have denied any intentional wrongdoing.

Brown was invited to attend Monday's grand jury hearing, but Posner said he advised his client against going. ``He would not be entitled to counsel during the proceedings. Defense lawyers are not allowed in,'' Posner said.

``The only reason for you to be there is to incriminate yourself,'' he said about a defendant's position in secret grand jury proceedings.