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Grope case raises a conflict

The state attorney seeks a special prosecutor for the tax collector .

By ABBIE VANSICKLE
Published October 25, 2006

TAMPA - Hillsborough State Attorney Mark Ober asked the governor Tuesday to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate allegations that county Tax Collector Doug Belden kissed a woman against her will and intentionally rubbed her breasts with his elbow.

Ober spokeswoman Pam Bondi said the move was necessary to avoid a conflict of interest.

"Doug Belden is a personal friend of Mark Ober and many members of our staff," Bondi said.

On Oct. 13, police opened an investigation into Belden after Julie Irwin, a 38-year-old jewelry maker, accused him of kissing and groping her in the bar of a Harbour Island restaurant.

Belden initially told a reporter he may have petted Irwin's dog, a Boston terrier named Babar, but that he never touched Irwin.

But Irwin's attorney, Jeff Brown, says a security camera at Jackson's Bistro tells another story.

Brown and Irwin reviewed the tape Monday with police. The tape, which has not been released to reporters, shows Belden approach Irwin, kiss her and rub up against her as he pets her dog, Brown said.

The tape does not have audio, but according to Brown, Belden's advances were clearly unwelcome.

"In the guise of petting a dog, he basically has his head buried in her lap," Brown said. "You can see him kiss her. It's hard to see. You see him just disappear into her lap. It's apparent to an unbiased viewer that he's invading her space and kissing her."

Brown said he wants to know why Belden denied touching Irwin.

"The initial battle, so to speak, was there was no touching, that he never kissed her," he said. "The video showed that he kissed her. The question is why did he lie about it?"

Belden has referred all questions to his attorney, Norman Cannella.

Cannella was scheduled to review the security tape with police Tuesday. He did not return phone messages later that day.

On Monday, he declined to discuss Belden's previous statement that he never touched Irwin, saying that Belden had made "one ill-advised statement" to a Times reporter he trusted.

Cannella also suggested that Irwin had increased the severity of the allegations since the initial report to police.

"This woman - whoever she is - is increasing the tempo of her story," he said. "This thing wasn't spun initially by this woman as anyone touching her breasts."

But Brown says the tape solidified his client's credibility and raised questions about the honesty of Belden and one of his staff members, Preston Trigg.

"For him to come out in the paper initially and say there was no touching and he did not kiss her - that's what has caused her concern," Brown said. "To lie about it as a public official is wrong. She's asking that he apologize. As a public official, he clearly lied. Now it's not just her word. The video supports that."

Belden, a Republican, took office in 1998.

The tape shows Irwin sitting at Jackson's outdoor bar, eating dinner and reviewing some work documents, Brown said. Belden then approaches her, kisses her, aggressively pets Babar, and places what appears to be a business card on the bar, Brown said.

After that, a bartender speaks with both of them and leaves, returning with Trigg, who talks with Irwin, Brown said.

The Jackson's staff has repeatedly declined to speak with reporters. Trigg initially told a reporter he watched Belden the whole night and didn't see anything happen.

When asked again about the allegations on Tuesday, Trigg referred a reporter to Belden's attorney.

Irwin wants Belden to issue a public apology, accepting responsibility, Brown said.

"Julie's position has been that he needs to apologize to her and apologize to the public and seek some sort of help," Brown said. "He obviously doesn't understand that not all women want to be kissed or groped."

Abbie VanSickle can be reached at 813 226-3373 or vansickle@sptimes.com.

[Last modified October 25, 2006, 00:55:29]