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Bonanno's lawyer seeks clarity on case
By GRAHAM BRINK and SUE CARLTON © St. Petersburg Times, published October 11, 2000 TAMPA -- The discovery of Circuit Judge Robert Bonanno in another judge's office after hours in July prompted speculation about possible connections to other courthouse scandals. Now, Bonanno's lawyer wants to make sure the grand jury investigating the incident remains focused on the Bonanno incident, not any allegations involving other judges. Attorney Ralph Fernandez filed a lengthy petition Tuesday asking a judge to clarify just what the public will be allowed to hear as Bonanno's case moves forward. He said he is not asking the judge to close anything related to the investigation -- including the court file, which may ultimately contain motions and court papers with details about other courthouse matters. He just wants the "parameters" defined now, before the flood of information begins. Fernandez said he anticipates filing another motion seeking to limit the scope of the grand jury inquiry so it will not include matters beyond whether Bonanno did anything wrong. In the petition, Fernandez expresses concern about how the case has been handled so far. "This is one step away from the runaway grand jury looking into everything," he said. "There is no doubt about it that this is going to get very exciting in the next few weeks." Bailiff Sylvia Gay discovered Bonanno in the inner office of Circuit Judge Greg Holder about 5 p.m on a Thursday in July. Gay said she was startled when she let herself into the darkened offices and realized someone else was there. That turned out to be Bonanno, who seemed to be trying to hide, Gay later reported. Holder, expected to testify when the grand jury reconvenes today, said it was widely known that he was out of town that day, and he called for an investigation. Bonanno, through his attorney, said he was there to talk about courthouse business. The Hillsborough Sheriff's Office and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement completed an investigation in August and passed along the findings to State Attorney Jack Rudy. Rudy told the governor that, given his relationship with Holder and Bonanno, he should not determine if charges should be filed. The governor appointed Jerry Hill, a state attorney based in Polk County. Hill decided to impanel a grand jury to investigate the case. The jurors were appointed last week and heard testimony from an FDLE agent. In the petition, Fernandez questioned whether the grand jury should have ever been called, given the lack of evidence against his client. Multiple sources have confirmed that the Sheriff's Office and FDLE investigation exonerated Bonanno, the petition stated.
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From the Times |
