A.G. Gancarski
On Friday, Rep. Corrine Brown‘s chief of staff, Ronnie Simmons, filed for a separate trial from Brown in the One Door for Education case.
On Monday, Simmons’ lawyer — Anthony Suarez — withdrew the motion.
As Lynnsey Gardner of WJXT reported Monday afternoon, Suarez filed a motion to withdraw the previous motion, offering no explanation why.
The motion filed Friday was flush with verbiage and precedent.
Simmons’ lawyer contended “the risk of prejudicial spillover is tremendous,” given Brown’s notoriety.
He contended that a “joint trial” would “compromise” his trial right, and potentially affect his verdict, especially given the potential of “markedly different degrees of culpability” between Brown and Simmons.
Brown draws media attention at her appearances; Simmons contends that he would not draw such attention by himself.
Simmons also contended that Brown’s tax fraud charges may prejudice a jury against him.
Ironically, it is Simmons who faces the greater maximum penalties in this case.
Brown faces a possible 357 years in prison and $4.8 million fine if all counts are found valid.
For Simmons, it would be as many as 355 years and $4.75 million, if guilty of all counts.
The estimated restitution for Brown would be $833,000 — plus $63,000 in tax — roughly $897,000. For Simmons, the number would be over $1.2 million.
The trial is not until April. The next motion hearing is set for early January.
