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Public corruption trial begins for former Miramar Commissioner Fitzroy Salesman

Here's the preview article by the Sun-Sentinel. Should be interesting:

The defense's case is more unpredictable. Salesman's attorney, Jamie Benjamin, said his client denies that he did anything criminal. One possible argument floated by the defense is that Salesman can't be accused of abusing his office because he was suspended at the time of some of the alleged offenses, due to unrelated legal problems.Benjamin also planned to put on a defense of entrapment."The government turned a casual friendship with Mr. Salesman, where he was more than happy to do favors for people who had befriended him, into one where, like any organized crime ring, they got their tentacles around him," Benjamin wrote in court documents.But U.S. District Judge James Cohn's rulings last week left the defense concerned that if they go too far in accusing the FBI of entrapment, misconduct or racist motivations, it could open the door for prosecutors to tell the jury more unflattering information about Salesman.Cohn ruled Friday there was no evidence of racial hostility, as the defense alleged, in the federal investigation of Salesman, who is black."In addition, the court finds no evidence of governmental misconduct, much less outrageous governmental misconduct," the judge said, rejecting a defense request to dismiss some of the charges.

Full post as published by Southern District of Florida on March 21, 2010 (boomark / email).