chad.smith@staugustine.com
Publication Date: 07/24/09
A judge this week extended the deadline for Thomas Manuel, the former St. Johns County Commission chairman who is facing federal bribery charges, to reach a plea agreement with the government, an indication that the two parties are working toward a deal.
U.S. District Judge Marcia M. Howard granted Manuel's motion Monday, extending the deadline to Thursday.
If an agreement isn't reached by then, Manuel's trial would begin Aug. 3.
In June the trial date was pushed back to August because Manuel's attorney, D. Gray Thomas of Jacksonville, said his client was suffering complications from his heart transplant.
Neither Thomas nor Manuel returned telephone messages for comment about the possible plea negotiations.
Charles Rose, a law professor and director of the Center for Excellence in Advocacy at Stetson University, said that generally, a deadline extension for a plea agreement is a clear indication that a deal is at least on the table.
"I can't say that they're close," Rose said, "but I can say they're talking."
Typically, when the motions are granted unopposed, as Manuel's was, Rose said that "could be because you and the government are close to working out a deal but haven't quite gotten there yet."
Manuel was indicted in October on two charges of bribery after he was accused of accepting $60,000 in cash from two confidential informants for the FBI, Bruce Robbins, a Jacksonville developer, and George McClure, a prominent St. Augustine land attorney.
If convicted, Manuel, who has denied the charges, faces a possible sentence of up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000.
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