While we patiently wait for North Miami Beach EX-mayor Myron Rosner’s day in court, let’s not forget the trial of yet another allegedly corrupt public official.  Ricardo Brutus, nephew/campaign manager of former North Miami mayor Andre Pierre, is still awaiting his fate in two criminal actions.  In Court Case No. F1107960, the State of Florida has charged Brutus with the felony of unlawful compensation, and in Court Case No. F12011724, he’s facing five felony charges including practicing law without a license, grand theft 3rd degree and organized fraud.

What a guy, huh?

If you think Myron’s trial is taking forever, check this out.  Brutus was first arrested for the felony of unlawful compensation on March 26, 2011 during his uncle’s bid for reelection.  Despite the fact that he was caught on video soliciting a bribe in exchange for council votes, thereby raising the general suspicion that his uncle was in on the deal, Andre not only escaped unscathed while his nephew took the fall, but he got himself reelected amidst the scandal.  Only in North Miami, huh?

As you can see by the five page (so far) docket of BRUTUS’ CASE NO. F11007960, this has dragged on and on and on for nearly two and a half years, during which time many trial hearings were set, witnesses subpoenaed, motions for protective orders filed and granted, and several motions for permission to travel filed and ostensibly granted.  It took Brutus two full years to finally cop a plea of not guilty and demand a jury trial on February 6, 2013.  Little wonder they say the wheels of justice turn slowly.  Painfully so.

Surprisingly, the defense attorney is not Ben Kuehne.

On June 26, 2013 a Motion for Continuance was filed and granted, and yet another trial hearing has been set for October 7, 2013 at 9 a.m.  This case might be decided by the time your high school sophomore graduates college.

Maybe.

As for the second docket of BRUTUS’ CASE NO. F12011724, where he’s charged with impersonating a lawyer (A lawyer, Ricardo?  Really?  You couldn’t be more creative than that?  SMH!), grand theft and organized fraud, this has only been in the hopper since May 11, 2012, or a little over a year.  The case number may be different, but all the players are the same.  The defendant is still Ricardo Brutus.  His defense attorney is still Larry Handfield.  The same prosecutor, Sandra Miller-Batiste, is trying the State’s case before the same judge, Fleur J. Lobree.  By now they should all be fairly well acquainted with one another.  Since the trial hearing for this case is also set for October 7, 2013 at 9 a.m., my guess is that both cases are being tried concurrently despite the fact that Brutus was arrested more than a year apart for each alleged crime.

Honestly, I don’t know how that works, but “merging” the two cases seems like a pretty efficient way to give an alleged criminal of multiple felonies, committed at different times, his proverbial day in court.  One might say this method is like killing two birds with one stone.  I prefer, however, to think of it as getting a BOGO (Buy One/Get One) at Publix.  Works for me!

Not that taxpayers are saving all that much money on Ricardo Brutus’ criminal cases considering how long they’ve been going on.  Not to mention how many more years it will take before a trial actually begins.  The defense attorneys know exactly what they’re doing.  These tried and true delay tactics have been employed successfully by criminal lawyers probably since the time Shakespeare first opined about killing all of them.  That’s also why hot shot lawyers like Ben Kuehne (and most likely Brutus’ hired gun Larry Handfield), are in such high demand by public officials who get caught doing very bad things.  Years of experience have taught these much sought after criminal defense attorneys how to play the system to their own and their clients’ advantage.

By the time this story comes to a long awaited end, chances are the lawyers will get to drive away in their Ferraris, the criminal defendants will get to walk (then run for office yet again), and the poor taxpaying schmucks who fund the circus will get screwed.

Royally.

Again.

And, yet somehow, when all is said and done, I still believe that we have the best legal justice system in the world.

God Bless America!

Stephanie Kienzle
“Spreading the Wealth”