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Prosecutor: No Decision In Political Sign Case Until After Election
August 6, 2010
The State Attorney’s Office won’t decide until after November’s election if charges will be filed against Greg Brown II or Doug Broxson over campaign signs.
Greg Wilson, chief assistant State Attorney with the 14th Judicial State Attorney’s Office, has delayed making a decision in the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office cases, saying that the delay would have no adverse impact on any criminal case. But, he said, filing charges at this point could have an impact on the political process.
“Having carefully considered the nature of the charges alleged in both cases and the extreme likelihood that the immediate filing or dismissal of charges in either case would unduly influence the political process, it is the decision of this Office to defer making the final charging decision on both cases presented for review until after the November General Election has concluded,” Wilson said.
Read the complete letter, click here.
In the first case, House District 1 candidate Greg Brown and his wife Jennifer allegedly stole seven or eight small political signs belonging to Broxson from the public right of way at the corner of Highway 87 and Highway 89 near Milton.
The second case concerns the unlawful placement of political signs on the public right of way in violation of both county and state ordinances. The report alleges Broxson had the campaign signs place unlawfully placed on the right of way, and also alleges that Jason Broxson unlawfully recorded and disclosed the conversations between the Browns as they removed the campaign signs.
State Attorney Bill Eddins requested that Gov. Charlie Crist appoint the special prosecutor from Panama City to investigate the sign theft allegations.
Using a night-vision camera, Jason Broxson videotaped Brown and his wife Jennifer removing campaign signs belonging to Doug Broxson. Brown has not denied that he and his wife removed Broxson’s signs, but he calls the entire situation a “masterminded set up”.
The video has sound, with Brown and his wife caught speaking. The volume of the conversation is very low; however, text superimposed on the video suggest what is being said.
“Is that good?” the video alleges that Jennifer Brown said after removing signs.
“Wait…your fingerprints are still on the ones laying down,” the video claims Brown responded.
Brown said he had permission from the property owner to remove the signs, but Santa Rosa County Property Appraiser records appear to show the signs were nearly 200 feet from private property. Brown said he “was totally under the impression” that the signs removed from the intersection were on private property.
Brown and Broxson are two of the four Republican candidates seeking the District 1 House seat. Ricky Perritt and Ferd Salomon are also seeking the post. Florida House District 1 includes the northern two-thirds of Escambia County, most of Santa Rosa County and a portion of Okaloosa County. The seat is being vacated by Greg Evers who is running for Florida Senate District 2.
Comments
10 Responses to “Prosecutor: No Decision In Political Sign Case Until After Election”
The other way of looking at it is to realize that trumped up charges could be brought against some candidates to throw the election to their opponents.
Justice delayed is justice denied but the voters will mete out justice at the polls. The prosecutors can just mop up afterward.
David for a perfect judicial system
(which ain’t gonna happen, but we need our goals)
What a Bunch of Gutless District Attorneys we have in the area and out of the area.
Since when does the outcome of an election have anything to do with wheather a crime was committed or not.
It may all be with good intentions but, it smells like connections are paying off for Mr. Brown, who has worked for some powerful washington and florida politicians.
wiretap? surely there’s a better name since no wires were involved in the crime.
If he is guilty of the crime, his child must be a minor or else the one recording the destruction and theft would be personally responsible rather than the parent.
Broxson=felony of the 3rd degree which is punishable by up to 5 years in prison. This is for the wiretap charges. His son, he in collaboration, violated the law when they recorded the conversation between Brown and his wife without their permission and then spread it to news and youtube. Then there are the signs for the illegally posted signs.
Can’t find what the charges are for removing the signs. Anyone?
Aren’t tax payers dollars paying for all this mess? And couldn’t the money and time be spent on something worthwhile. I mean, we all know politicians are crooked anyway.
As for— “but how do you steal something that is illegally placed?” With this line of thinking if I come upon you illegally parked car or truck, then it’s okay if I take it.
REGARDING:
“. . . aren’t campaign contributions “donations” and contributors shouldn’t expect anything in return for giving them? ”
Actually, contributors always expect something in return. In the most perfect setting, they expect the better person to win the election and to serve the people well. In a slightly less perfect world, they expect the winner to not have it in for them for not supporting them in the first place.
But using your line of reasoning, it would be okay to rob churches because their donations were given without expectation of benefit in return.
AND
“Broxson has made a real donkey of himself ”
Interesting viewpoint. The one who was being attacked or vandalized is the donkey for proving it? Ain’t politics wunnerful????
I can see the northescambia.com headline now:
Greg Brown Wins House Seat — Arrested At Victory Party
One word comes to mind about the prosecutor: WHIMP!
Say it isn’t so!!! We have another state’s attorney from a different district that can’t make a timely decision because it might impact the election? The people deserve a straight away answer to the question, so that they don’t elect a potentially charge and/or convicted thief. Again not defending Brown, but how do you steal something that is illegally placed? And who is the victim? Broxson didn’t pay for the signs with his own money and the money used to purchase the signs can’t be used for personal expenses, so he’s not truly a “victim” of larceny. And another thought, aren’t campaign contributions “donations” and contributors shouldn’t expect anything in return for giving them? That would leave them as being “victimless” as well. In my opinion, Broxson has made a real donkey of himself with his 5 minutes of fame on YouTube with his night time spy video of Brown and Brown has proven himself dishonest; therefore, neither are worthy of my vote!