It looks like twice-suspended Miami commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones isn't going down easy after her lawyers today asked a judge to dismiss the criminal charges against her.
Spence-Jones didn't appear in court today for arraignment on the bribery charges, though her lawyers were there to file motions seeking to throw out the indictments claiming prosecutors didn't include enough evidence of her alleged crimes.
The 42-year-old pol was indicted by a Miami-Dade grand jury in early March for allegedly taking $25,000 from a developer in return for her help in securing votes.
According to prosecutors, Spence-Jones approached the MDM Hotel Group and the Codina Group to "donate" funds to an entity of her choice in 2006. In return, she would vote to extend the name "Brickell Avenue" further north along SE 2nd Street in downtown.
The $25,000 was put into an account that Spence-Jones could access, prosecutors alleged. The grand jury also delivered an indictment of grand theft.
She turned herself in on March 4, promising to fight the charges.
"The reality is I will have my day in court to prove that I'm innocent not only of this current charge," Spence-Jones said. "But the one that they claim there is something else also."
Spence-Jones was allowed to stay free on bond on the $12,500 she posted for her previous grand theft charge.
The previous arrest came in November for allegedly using $50,000 in public money to help fund her family's restaurant and spa businesses.
She's locked in battle with Florida Governor Charlie Crist, who has already suspended her from office twice.
The first suspension came in November, when Spence-Jones turned herself in to authorities to face the charges of grand theft. The second suspension came in mid-January, after Spence-Jones won back her seat in a special election but Crist decided to suspended her again anyway. Spence-Jones then sued the Governor, but a judge upheld the suspension.
Spence-Jones has appealed, but a civil court judge has yet to make a final decision in the case.
Local
Lawyers will be back in court on March 30 to discuss the motion to dismiss.
