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Appeal Rejected: W.D. Childers Conviction Reinstated
June 3, 2011
A federal appeals court Thursday ruled against former Senate President W.D. Childers in his quest to overturn a 2003 bribery conviction related to a Pensacola land deal.
The full 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta rejected Childers’ argument that his constitutional rights were violated because he was prevented from fully cross-examining a crucial witness.
The 88-page ruling includes a dissenting opinion that said Childers did not receive a fair trial.
Childers was convicted of bribery and accepting unlawful compensation for official acts in connection with a Highway 29 soccer complex scandal in 2002 while he served as an Escambia County Commissioner.
The soccer complex scandal eventually landed four Escambia Commissioners in jail on charges that included Childers, Willie Junior, Terry Smith and Mike Bass. Junior was later found dead under a house, committing suicide the day before he was to be sentenced.
Childers, once known as “The Banty Rooster” for bringing home the bacon for Northwest Florida, was released from state prison on June 17, 2009, having served almost three years of a 42-month sentence on the charges related to the $3.9 million soccer complex purchase. Junior testified that he received a collard green pot full of cash in exchange for his vote to purchase the soccer complex.
Childers was also the first man in Florida jailed for violating the open-meeting portion of the Sunshine Law for a phone call he and Smith made to then Supervisor of Elections Bonnie Jones. Childers served about a month in jail before being released.
Comments
4 Responses to “Appeal Rejected: W.D. Childers Conviction Reinstated”
Looks like the hundred days has ended.
They always need judged harshly when they are a crook. Something needs
to shame the heck out of them.
SHAME, SHAME…..
Pride comes before the fall……His pride and cocky attitude was his down fall along with his greed.
Mr Childers did a lot of good things and had a good run! I dont think history will judge him too harshly! I would go fishing and enjoy the rest of my days., get out!, and have some fun, take the lesson, live in your skin. Pardon??????