Manuel's health delays his trial -- Doctors say body rejecting transplant

Manuel's health delays his trial -- Doctors say body rejecting transplant

By PETER GUINTA
peter.guinta@staugustine.com
Publication Date: 06/23/09

JACKSONVILLE -- U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard agreed Monday to move the bribery trial of former St. Johns County Commission Chairman Tom Manuel, 64, to the August trial schedule.

This would be the fourth time the trial date has been moved.

At a scheduled status conference Monday at the U.S. Courthouse in Jacksonville, Manuel's attorney, D. Gray Thomas of Sheppard, White, Thomas & Kachergus, Jacksonville, told Judge Howard that his client was having physical problems.

He said his client had required a heart transplant years ago "which predated this case," he said.

But now, Thomas said, "His body is rejecting the organ. The doctors are still trying to ascertain what it is, so they can deal with it."

Manuel, free on $50,000 bond, is accused of accepting two cash payments totaling $60,000 from confidential informants Bruce Robbins, a Jacksonville developer, and George McClure, a prominent St. Augustine land attorney.

An FBI investigation into his business affairs began in April 2007, four months after he was seated as a county commissioner, and ended after 14 months.

Manuel was arrested in Jacksonville Beach, leaving an upscale restaurant with a bag of money.

Since then, Manuel has vigorously declared his innocence and called the charges "a political hatchet job."

After his indictment Oct. 16, 2008, he was suspended from his commission seat by Gov. Charlie Crist.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Hackenberry Savell had no objection to this delay. But she noted that Manuel has had at least three previous continuances.

His first motion, filed in November 2008, was granted, moving the trial to December 2008.

A second motion, filed in early December, asked for a six-month continuance. That was denied. But another motion later that month succeeded in getting the case moved to the April 2009 schedule.

A third continuance request, filed in February 2009, was granted and moved the trial date to June.

"It's getting to the point that we're going to have to do something, one way or the other," Savell said.

Thomas' said his motion to continue the trial to August was based on his client's health and apparent lack of ability to assist in his own defense.

Judge Howard hinted that she may not grant any more lengthy trial continuances.

"I do believe now that we are at a point where we should fish or cut bait," she said.

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