A.G. Gancarski
There is a lot of uncertainty about the One Door for Education case, in which Rep. Corrine Brown and her chief of staff, Ronnie Simmons, are co-defendants.
As of Wednesday afternoon, it is still uncertain whether or not Brown has a lawyer.
That will be resolved, theoretically, by 3 p.m.
And it is still uncertain when this case, which now involves a sitting congresswoman without a campaign, will go to trial.
One thing is for sure, however; co-defendant Simmons does in fact have an attorney.
Overcoming objections posed by the prosecution and the judge, Simmons was allowed to retain Orlando barrister Anthony Suarez, in spite of Suarez having represented, on a “transactional” basis, one of the grand jury witnesses in this case: Orlando consultant/lobbyist LaVern Kelly.
Kelly essentially filled a role that Von Alexander did in Jacksonville for Rep. Brown, as a conduit between the congresswoman and her donor base.
After Wednesday’s hearing, Suarez talked with Jacksonville media about where he sees this case, including fielding questions on the likelihood of Simmons turning on his boss, Simmons’ beliefs of his own guilt or innocence in this matter, and why he doesn’t believe he can represent Simmons and Brown in tandem.
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Regarding the alleged conflict, Suarez had the following to say.
“I know the testimony [from Kelly]. I know what she said. If there had been a conflict,” Suarez said, “I wouldn’t have taken the case.”
While the charges his client faces — 18 counts unique to him, with a potential penalty of well over three centuries in prison if all are upheld in court — are “very serious,” Suarez wonders “do they have all the facts?”
Though most observers still envision the theatrics of a jury trial, Suarez notes that “95 percent” of cases — local, state, and federal — are “settled by plea.”
Suarez doesn’t know if this will be one yet or not, as 77,000 pages of “discovery is voluminous.”
“There are always possibilities for a plea deal,” Suarez said.
However, less possible: Simmons turning on Brown.
“I don’t see that as a possibility.”
Also an increasingly remote possibility is a trial anytime soon in this case.
Suarez’s best guess: February, which if that were the case, would push the trial into the next CD 5 congressperson’s term.
Simmons has told Suarez that he is innocent, and for his part, Suarez is confident.
“I know where the case is going to go,” Suarez said, and there are some “weak spots in the case” from the prosecutors.
