Florida Public Records and Open Meetings Laws Prosecutions Database
http://brechner.org/db_prosecutions.asp
The Brechner Center
for Freedom of Information
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About The Brechner Center
The Brechner Center answers queries about media law from journalists, attorneys, and other members of the public. The Center is prepared to explain issues relating to media law, react to current developments, and offer speakers for meetings and classes.
Florida Public Records and Open Meetings Laws Prosecutions Database
The following chronology lists known cases in which public officials either pleaded no contest or guilty to or were convicted of criminal or civil charges under the Open Records or Open Meetings Law. Many of the officials paid fines or court costs, or both. In some cases, charges were dropped in exchange for commitments by officials to study the open government laws or perform community service.
This listing is based on a survey of past issues of The Brechner Report and its predecessor, The Freedom of Information Clearinghouse Newsletter. It includes cases reported by state newspapers or otherwise brought to the attention of newsletter editors. The Brechner Center would like to receive information about other open meetings or records cases which have been prosecuted. The Center also would like to receive additional or updated information on any of the cases listed in the chronology. If you would like to bring any information to our attention, please contact us by mail, telephone or fax.
FEBRUARY 2008 (Fort Myers): The federal government will pay $105,000 in attorneys’ fees to The News-Press following the newspaper’s successful lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security for the release of public records. The agency was sued after it refused to release information about the 1.1 million recipients of $1.2 billion in disaster aid after the 2004 Florida hurricane season.
FEBRUARY 2008 (Marco Island): Marco Island City Councilman Chuck Kiester has been accused of violating the Florida Public Records Law, which prohibits the deletion of e-mails related to government business. Kiester was charged with failing to maintain, preserve or allow inspection of public records that were generated between the time he took office in March 2006 until March 2007.
FEBRUARY 2008 (Washington, D.C.): A federal judge ruled that White House visitor logs are public records, rejecting the Bush Administration’s efforts to avoid release of records that show visits by prominent religious conservatives. The Bush Administration is expected to appeal the ruling.
MARCH 2008 (West Palm Beach): The 4th District Court of Appeal ruled that portions of a grand jury report about a government official’s alleged manipulation of a public meeting rebroadcast will not be deleted from the report. The investigation criticized Mayor Lois Frankel’s delay of a 2004 rebroadcast on the city’s public access cable channel of a city meeting in which citizens criticized the city’s efforts to fight crime.
MARCH 2008 (Fort Lauderdale): The Federal Emergency Management Agency will pay 75 percent of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel’s attorney fees following a legal battle for the identities of disaster-aid recipients of the 2004 Florida hurricane season.
APRIL 2008 (Jacksonville): An unsealed grand jury report found evidence that Jacksonville City Council members committed “technical or noncriminal” violations of Florida’s Open Meetings Law. State Attorney Howard Shorstein said he will not prosecute unless there is evidence of a kickback to a Jacksonville City Council member or other criminal act.
APRIL 2008 (Sneads):The City of Sneads agreed to pay former Police Chief William Nelson $10,000 and his attorneys $25,000 seven years after he filed suit alleging the city violated Florida’s Open Meetings Law. The former police chief was fired by the town council during a special meeting to which, he alleged, the public was not given proper notice.
APRIL 2008 (Hallandale Beach):City Commissioners have agreed to pay former Hallandale Beach Police officer Talous Cirilo more than $100,000 to settle a lawsuit. In 2005, the city refused to reinstate Cirilo on the police force after he was charged with and acquitted of three misdemeanor counts of battery on a prisoner. The two lawsuits filed against the city alleged that the city civil service board held and illegal meeting a week before the scheduled meeting. It also alleged falsification of evidence and persuasion of a felon to lie under oath about Cirilo.
APRIL 2008 (Highlands County): The 2nd District Court of Appeals ruled that public records providers can include both salary and benefits when calculating their special service charges for responses to extensive public records requests. The case stemmed from a 2005 records request which charged $65 in advance to cover the estimated costs of locating the records. The suit alleged that the county failed to make the records available to the requester and that he should have not been required to prepay for the records search.
MAY 2008 (Broward County): Collier County Judge Mike Carr found Marco Island city council member Chuck Kiester guilty of a noncriminal public records violation for deleting e-mails that contained information about city business from his personal computer. Kiester was ordered to pay the maximum $500 fine.
JUNE 2008 (Washington, D.C.): Former USA Today reporter Toni Locy appealed a district court judge’s contempt order imposing fines of up to $5,000 per day—from Locy’s own pocket—for refusing to reveal confidential sources. The order was issued after Locy refused to disclose the names of sources who identified a former Army infectious disease researcher as a suspect in a federal investigation into terrorist attacks. Locy was prohibited from receiving assistance in paying the fines.
JUNE 2008 (Sarasota): The Sarasota Circuit Court dismissed a 2006 defamation suit filed by an elementary school principal against a TV news station after 10 months of inactivity on behalf of the plaintiff in the case. The suit alleged that the station’s assistant manager and news director spread misinformation about the principal’s 2002 arrest for stalking, a charge that had been dropped.
JULY 2008 (Venice): After an emergency hearing, a circuit judge ruled three Venice City Council members must allow a computer expert to obtain government business e-mails from their home computers. A recently filed lawsuit claims that four council members violated the Open Meetings Law by discussing city business in private e-mails.
JULY 2008 (Naples):Terminated Collier County school district superintendent Ray Baker settled his Open Meetings Law violation lawsuit with the district for $555,000. Baker alleged that school board members violated the Open Meetings Law to meet and secretly terminate his contract by voiding it. The School Board attorney advocated settling and estimated that had the case gone to trial, the district would have faced $2.2 to $2.67 million in exposure.
AUGUST 2008 (Sarasota County): The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office settled a lawsuit alleging the office failed to give the public enough notice of disciplinary hearings. In exchange for dropping the suit, the settlement agreement requires the office to have training on open government laws, amend its internal rules and pay $15,613 in attorney fees to the plaintiff.
AUGUST 2008 (Sebring): Highlands County Commissioners settled a lawsuit filed by a watchdog claiming that the county failed to copy a grant application for state funds to refurbish a high school as a hurricane shelter. Plaintiff Preston Colby received over $9,100 in the settlement.
AUGUST 2008 (Washington, D.C.): A U.S. district judge ruled that the White House’s Office of Administration does not have to comply with FOIA and make public internal documents about the disappearance of e-mails.
NOVEMBER 2008 (Orlando): A circuit judge awarded Larry Giles, the operator of the Veranda Park News, $180,000 under a Florida Statute that protects homeowners who petition regarding their homeowners’ associations. Giles was initially sued by real estate group Veranda Partners after he published allegedly defamatory statements saying the company misspent homeowners’ association dues, among other things. Giles counterclaimed that the suit was unlawful under Florida’s anti-SLAPP statute because it intended to stop him from petitioning.
JANUARY 2007: Two Monroe County commissioners were charged with violating the Sunshine Law. Mayor Mario Di Gennaro and Commissioner Sonny McCoy each face a civil infraction carrying a fine of up to $500. The charges stemmed from a September post-meeting discussion regarding an upcoming mayoral election. Di Gennaro and then-Mayor McCoy allegedly had a brief conversation about Di Gennaro's plans to run for mayor.
FEBRUARY 2007:(Tampa): Former county worker Gary Mitchell was unsuccessful in his attempt to appeal the dismissal of his case. Mitchell claimed he was denied his First Amendment rights when he was fired from his job after making graphic remarks about female genitalia when addressing a former commissioner.
MARCH 2007 (Key West):Florida Keys Community College will pay the legal fees of a newspaper company after the two parties reached a settlement in a First Amendment retaliation lawsuit. Cooke Communications, owner of the Key West Citizen, filed suit claiming its constitutional right to publish without retribution from a government agency was violated. The college did not admit any wrongdoing but did agree to pay $9,000 in court fees.
MARCH 2007 (Ocala): A hospital that was indicted on misdemeanor charges for violating Florida’s open government laws during a CEO search has reached an agreement with the State Attorney’s Office. The hospital, which leases publicly owned facilities, did not concede guilt but will pay $2,000 for investigative costs.
MAY 2007 (Tampa:)The Tampa Tribune received $28,106 from the Tampa Bay Convention & Visitors Bureau to pay the newspaper’s legal fees in connection with a public records lawsuit against the bureau. The bureau said the payment was not an admission of wrongdoing. The payment ends the dispute between the newspaper and the bureau over bid preparation documents for the 2008 Republican National Convention.
AUGUST 2007 (Washington, D.C.): The Supreme Court ruled that a high school principal did not violate a student’s First Amendment rights when she told him to take down a 14-foot banner that read “Bong Hits 4 Jesus” and subsequently suspended him for 10 days when he refused. The decision gives schools wider discretion to limit messages that appear to advocate illegal drug use.
OCTOBER 2007 (Fort Myers): A panel for the U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that FEMA must provide The News-Press (Fort Myers) and other Florida newspapers with the addresses of households that received disaster aid between 1998 and 2004. The News-Press found that fewer than one in three received assistance. In opposing the release of the information, the government argued that disclosure would violate the privacy of recipients, stigmatize victims and potentially be used for identity theft.
OCTOBER 2007 (Lakeland): The Polk County Opportunity Council’s effort to overturn a ruling that they violated the Open Meetings Law was rejected by the 2nd District Court of Appeal. Because the 2nd District didn’t issue a written opinion, the PCOC has nothing to appeal to the Florida Supreme Court. The civil infractions against the 10 board members stemmed from a September 2005 meeting where the board paused a public meeting to discuss reprimanding its executive director.
DECEMBER 2007 (Orlando): Orlando television station WKMG-TV prevailed in a lawsuit challenging a trial court’s order which prohibited it from airing stories about a political consultant. The 5th District Court of Appeal ruled that consultant Doug Guetzloe did not prove his privacy concerns outweighed the station’s First Amendment rights.
DECEMBER 2007 (Fort Myers):The News-Press prevailed in a public records lawsuit against city councilman Warren Wright, winning the right of access to a settlement agreement. Wright sued the city and a developer over the construction of a 14-story tower near a lot he owned in a historic district. The suit was later settled, but the agreement was not made public.
OCTOBER 2006: A Sebastian city councilman was found not guilty of violating the state's Sunshine Law and charges were dropped against another council member, with a judge saying the law does not ban all talk between public officials. Andrea Coy and Sal Neglia faced noncriminal charges for violating the Sunshine Law. At a January 25, 2007, meeting, Neglia said he recently had called Coy to learn more about a dispute between local lawn bowlers and tennis players over the use of a park's clay tennis courts. Former Mayor Walter Barnes filed a complaint with the State Attorney's Office about Neglia and Coy talking about city business outside of a public meeting.
SEPTEMBER 2006: A hospital indicted on misdemeanor charges for violating Florida's open government laws during a CEO search reached an agreement with the State Attorney's Office. A Marion County grand jury indicted Munroe Regional Health Systems Inc., saying hospital officials violated public records and open meetings laws this year while searching for a new chief executive officer. The grand jury indicted the not-for-profit hospital on two counts following an investigation by State Attorney Brad King. Individual board members were not charged. In exchange for amending its lease to reflect principles of "operating in the spirit of open government," the State Attorney's Office dismissed the charges.
SEPTEMBER 2006: A four-month investigation into alleged Sunshine Law violations by Monroe County commissioners resulted in no evidence of wrongdoing, according to a State Attorney's Office report. The firing of the county attorney at a February meeting prompted the investigation. Richard Collins was fired at the meeting after the action was added to the agenda at the last minute. The investigation involved interviews with the five commissioners and other county employees. E-mails, cell phone records and other communications were also subpoenaed.
JULY 2006: Two current and three former town council members were accused of violating the Sunshine Law by allegedly excluding town employees from public meetings. The charges stemmed from a 2004 budget workshop during which the then-town manager was asked to leave while his salary was discussed. Mayor Richard C. Dunlop and former council members Walter J. Sackville, John Brehmer and Barbara Greenbaum Deputron were accused of the violation.
MAY 2006: A circuit judge dropped criminal charges against an Escambia County commissioner who died in 2004. Willie Junior disappeared a day before he was to be sentenced on corruption charges. He died of an apparent suicide. The main reason for the request to drop charges was to allow Junior's widow to receive her husband's retirement benefits from the county and state. Junior and three other county commissioners were indicted in May 2002. Junior faced charges ranging from racketeering and bribery to violating the Sunshine Law.
MAY 2006: Four Pompano Beach City Commissioners charged with violating the Sunshine Law have agreed to donate $200 each to charity. In exchange for the commissioners’ admission of guilt and donation, prosecutors have agreed that the violations were inadvertent. The charges stemmed from a 2004 lunch meeting between commissioners Kay McGinn, Susan Foster, Lamar Fisher and George Brummer and Broward County Sheriff Ken Jenne.
APRIL 2006: Ten members of the Polk County Opportunity Council were found guilty of violating the Sunshine Law. County Judge Anne Kaylor ordered each board member to pay a $250 fine and $28.60 in court costs. The non-criminal charges stemmed from a closed September meeting during which the board discussed former executive director Carolyn Speed. The members charged are Patricia Hunter, Collins Smith, Morris Chestang, Booker Young, Beverly Howell, Jessie Kirby, Annie Bryant Phyall, Ben Graham, Dennis Goosby and Ozell Wilson. The PCOC members later appealed the ruling in June 2006, but the appeal was denied by a circuit judge.
FEBRUARY 2006: A noncriminal judgment against former Oak Hill City Commissioner Ron Mercer for violating the Sunshine Law was overturned by two circuit judges. Judges John Watson and Edwin Sanders vacated the November 2003 judgment and ordered Mercer’s $500 fine be returned. Mercer and fellow commissioner Bob Jackson reportedly had a private discussion about a mayoral appointment in January 2002. In a joint opinion, the judges found that “the brief exchange between the two officials did not constitute a meeting at which official acts are to be taken or at which public business of such (collegial public) body is to be transacted or discussed.” Assistant State Attorney Phil Havens said the State is likely to seek an appellate review of the opinion. The 5th DCA denied the State's petition to reveiw the case in February 2006. (See also December 2002, July 2003, November 2003, and August 2005.)
JANUARY 2006: Former Ocoee city commissioner Danny Howell pleaded no contest to violating the Sunshine Law. He was fined $500 plus court costs for the civil infraction. Howell was also charged with a second-degree misdemeanor for allegedly violating the Sunshine Law, but prosecutors dropped that charge. The charges stem from a 2004 phone call to a fellow commissioner, where the two allegedly discussed a proposed real estate transaction that would come before the commission.
DECEMBER 2005: Former North Bay Village Commissioner Armand Abecassis pleaded no contest to two counts of violating the Sunshine Law. Abecassis, 67, was arrested in April 2004, along with then-Mayor Alan Dorne on charges they conspired to remove the city manager. As part of his plea deal for the second-degree misdemeanor charges, Abecassis received six months of probation, was ordered to perform 50 hours of community service, pay court costs and make a $1,000 donation to the United Way. While on probation, Abecassis cannot seek or hold any public office or any form of public employment.
DECEMBER 2005: Ten members of the Polk County Opportunity Council Board of Directors appeared in court and pleaded not guilty to violating Florida’s Government-in-the-Sunshine Laws. The charges stemmed from a monthly board meeting on Sept. 15 where the board retired to a conference room for a closed-to-the-public meeting, which lasted more than an hour. The State Attorney’s office investigated and filed civil charges that carry a maximum fine of $500. A hearing for the defendants’ motion to dismiss was scheduled for Jan. 26 and a trial has been scheduled for Feb. 22.
OCTOBER 2005: An investigation by Collier Deputy Manager Leo Ochs found that the Collier Productivity Committee violated the Sunshine Law when it asked Brad Boaz to leave the room during a public meeting. Boaz, of Barron Collier Partnership, was being considered to fill a vacancy on the committee. The Chamber of Commerce complained to county officials and also contended the Committee opposed the appointment of anyone with a full-time job. Upon the investigation, commissioners also decided to end the practice of ranking candidates it was considering for the position.
OCTOBER 2005: Four Pompano Beach city commissioners were charged with violating the state’s public meetings law. On June 4, 2004 Commissioners George Brummer, Kay McGinn, Lamar Fisher and Vice Mayor Susan Foster attended a breakfast with Broward Sheriff Ken Jenne to discuss a crime-reporting controversy. A complaint was filed with the State Attorney by city activist Ed Stanton, who found out about the meeting. If charged, the commissioners could face fines of $500 each.
OCTOBER 2005: An Ocoee city commissioner was charged with violating the state’s Public Records Law. Commissioner Danny Howell faces one second-degree misdemeanor count and one noncriminal infraction count for discussing potential city business privately with another commissioner. The charges stem from a 2004 phone call to fellow Commissioner Rusty Johnson, where the two allegedly discussed a proposed real estate transaction that was likely to come before the commission. If convicted, Howell could face 60 days in jail and a $500 fine for the misdemeanor charge. Johnson was not charged as a result of the incident.
AUGUST 2005: A noncriminal judgment against former Oak Hill City Commissioner Ron Mercer for violating the Sunshine Law was overturned by two circuit judges. Judges John Watson and Edwin Sanders vacated the November 2003 judgment and ordered Mercer’s $500 fine be returned. Mercer and fellow commissioner Bob Jackson reportedly had a private discussion about a mayoral appointment in January 2002. In a joint opinion, the judges found that “the brief exchange between the two officials did not constitute a meeting at which official acts are to be taken or at which public business of such (collegial public) body is to be transacted or discussed.” Assistant State Attorney Phil Havens said the State is likely to seek an appellate review of the opinion. (See also December 2002, July 2003, and November 2003)
MAY 2005: Four city commissioners were charged with violating the state’s Open Meetings Law after they met to discuss their investigation of the Broward Sheriff’s Office. State Attorney Michael Satz filed the non-criminal charges as a result of a June 2004 meeting in which the commissioners discussed their investigation into inflated crime statistics. The breakfast meeting with Sheriff Ken Jenne was held without notice and no minutes were taken, according to the charges. Vice Mayor Susan Foster and commissioners George Brummer, Lamar Fisher and Kay McGinn face $500 fines for the violation.
NOVEMBER 2003: Volusia County Judge Mary Jane Henderson imposed a noncriminal judgment against Oak Hill City Commissioner Ron Mercer for violating Florida’s Sunshine Law. He was fined $500. The judgment stems from a conversation between Mercer and another commissioner, Bob Jackson, in Jackson’s driveway in January 2002. The pair reportedly discussed the possible appointment of Jackson as mayor. (See also December 2002, July 2003, and August 2005)
OCTOBER 2003: A grand jury suggested that all eight members of the Cape Coral City Council take more training in the state’s open meetings laws. The grand jury found that two council members violated the Sunshine Law, but chose not to indict because it found there was no corrupt intent. The videotaped conversation about a proposed skate park took place between Mayor Arnold Kempe and Councilman Dick Stevens during a meeting break in July 2003.
AUGUST 2003: Two Flagler County School Board officials were fined $500 each for violating Florida’s Sunshine Law. Board Chairman Edward Herrera and board member Jim Guines faced the unintentional civil infractions for privately discussing a raise for their superintendent.
JULY 2003: In Deland, Oak Hill City Commissioner Bob Jackson pleaded no contest to charges that he violated the Open Meetings Law. Jackson has been ordered by a county court to pay $250 in fines, and to take a Sunshine Law class. Jackson was accused of illegally meeting with Commissioner Ron Mercer to discuss several issues scheduled to come before the commission.
JULY 2003: The charge was dropped against former Escambia County School Board member Vanette Webb, the first public official jailed for violating the state’s Open Records Law. Prosecutors chose not to pursue another trial against Webb, who was ordered to spend 30 days in jail after being found guilty of withholding a public record from a Pensacola mother. County Judge William White threw out Webb’s conviction after she had served seven days of the sentence. A state appeals court later reinstated the conviction. The case was eventually sent back to White, who granted Webb a new trial in March 2002. An appeals court upheld the order for a new trial. State Attorney Curtis Golden dropped the charge and told the Pensacola News-Journal he was satisfied with the outcome of the case. “Charges were dropped five years too late,” Webb wrote in an e-mail to the News-Journal. “Justice delayed is justice denied.” (See also May 1999, October 1999, November 1999, March 2001)
JULY 2003: Former Welaka town official Steve Richardson was found guilty of violating Florida’s Public Records Law. Richardson will not have a criminal record in the case, but he was ordered to pay a $150 fine. Richardson was accused of refusing to let two men inspect a sign-out sheet of recreational equipment, which according to the complaint, was accessible immediately.
JUNE 2003: Escambia County Commissioner W.D. Childers was sentenced to 60 days in jail, the maximum penalty for one count of violating the state’s Sunshine Law. Childers is the first elected official to be jailed for breaking the open meetings section of the law. Childers was also ordered to pay fines and court costs, totaling near $4,000.
MAY 2003: Welaka Mayor Gordon Sands pleaded no contest and paid a $500 fine after being charged last year with violating the Sunshine Law. The charge stems from a discussion Sands reportedly held with another town council member to discuss nominating council member Curtis Williams as council president at a public meeting. Prosecutors and defense attorney James McCune both asked County Judge Peter Miller to withhold adjudication, which means Sands will not have a criminal record. Miller equated Sand’s civil infraction to “a speeding ticket” and did not find him guilty.
MARCH 2003: Two Kissimmee city commissioners charged with violating the Sunshine Law after failing to notify the public about meetings accepted a deal to plead no contest to misdemeanor charges, a State Attorney’s Office official said. Commissioner Wendell McKinnon and former Commissioner Bob Makinson both made last minute pleas to avoid a criminal record. They pleaded guilty to civil violations, will face $50 fines and court costs and were cleared by the State Ethics Commission. (See also November 2002)
FEBRUARY 2003: The Lakeland Ledger filed suit against the Florida Department of Citrus, claiming that the department violated the Sunshine Law. The department has been accused of withholding records and closing meetings concerning a scientific generic citrus advertising study involving $190,000. The study is important, as it could potentially change the size and actions of the Citrus Department, a state agency.
FEBRUARY 2003: Circuit Judge Robert P. Cates issued a ruling declaring that a meeting of the Chiefland City Commission violated the Florida Sunshine Law. (See also February 2002)
DECEMBER 2002: Oak Hill City commissioners Ron Mercer and Bob Jackson pleaded not guilty to violating the Sunshine Law. The two men were accused of meeting privately and discussing city business, including the appointment of a mayor and department heads, over a seven-month span.
NOVEMBER 2002: Circuit Court Judge John Booth ruled that the Hernando County had violated the Sunshine Law by keeping the public from taking part in a meeting of the Development Review Committee in Brooksville. Booth ordered that future meetings be open to the public for all who want to participate.
NOVEMBER 2002: Two Kissimmee city commissioners were charged with violating Florida’s Open Meetings Law. Wendell McKinnon and Bob Makinson reportedly met in private and discussed their plans for a future public meeting. The civil charges carry fines of up to $500 each and a maximum of 60 days in jail. The commissioners, however, were only fined $50 each. (See March also 2003)
OCTOBER 2002: Welaka Mayor Gordon Sands was charged by the State Attorney’s Office with violating the Open Meetings Law. Sands was accused of meeting with former council member Shirley Gillins in 2000 in order to discuss votes for an upcoming public meeting. If found guilty, Sands may have to pay attorney’s fees and $500 in fines.
OCTOBER 2002: Belleair Beach Councilmember Frank Lombardi has been accused of breaking the Sunshine Law. According to council members Lynn Rives and Mary Jo Henderson, Lombardi attempted to discuss matters of new officers outside of official meetings. Rives filed the complaint the State Attorney’s Office in Pinellas County.
SEPTEMBER 2002: Three Escambia County Commissioners reached plea agreements in connection with charges of bribery and violating the Sunshine Law. Commissioner Willie Junior agreed to plead guilty to 12 charges including bribery and violation of the Sunshine Laws and agreed to testify against fellow commissioner W.D. Childers. Junior could have been sentenced up to 125 years in prison but will serve a maximum of 18 months in exchange for his testimony. Commissioner Mike Bass pleaded no contest to two misdemeanor counts of violating the Sunshine Law. His felony counts were dropped. Bass must pay a $500 fine for each of the two counts and must pay investigative costs of around $3,000. Sentencing will occur after Bass testifies against Childers. Bass originally faced up to 70 years in prison, but after agreeing to testify his maximum possible jail sentence was reduced to 60 days. Commissioner Terry Smith was found guilty on two counts of violating the Sunshine Law. He was required to pay fines and court costs totaling $4,987 and was sentenced to 250 hours of community service. (See also June 2002, August 2002, June 2003, October 2004, December 2004)
AUGUST 2002: Escambia County commissioner and former state senator W.D. Childers was found guilty on one count of violating the state’s Open Meetings law. Childers stands accused of discussing public business with fellow commissioners in private on four separate occasions and conferring with fellow commissioners about redistricting. He was declared not guilty on two other Open Meetings counts. Childers was indicted on four misdemeanor Sunshine charges and felony counts of money laundering, bribery and unlawful compensation of a public official. The trial for his felony charges was set for March 2003. (See also June 2002, September 2002, June 2003, October 2004, December 2004)
AUGUST 2002: Daytona Beach’s community relations advisory panel met illegally, violating the Open Meetings Law, by not giving proper notice to the public. The council plans to “cure” the violation by holding the meeting once again, according to Chairman Tom Vogel.
JULY 2002: Clark V. Hoshall Jr. filed suit against Nassau County commissioners, alleging that they were holding meetings in secret for over four years. However, the commissioners did not violate the Public Records law, according to a lower court decision, which was upheld by the 1st District Court of Appeal.
JUNE 2002: Four Escambia County commissioners were arrested on multiple charges, including violation of the state’s Sunshine Law. Mike Bass, W.D. Childers, Willie J. Junior and Terry Smith were indicted and charged with multiple misdemeanor counts of violations of Florida’s Open Meetings Law. Each misdemeanor count is punishable by a maximum of 60 days in jail and/or a $500 fine. (See also August 2002, September 2002, June 2003, October 2004, December 2004)
MARCH 2002: Ormond Beach commissioners Jeff Boyle, Joyce High and Jim Privett faced a lawsuit from The News-Journal Corporation, which accused the three of violating Florida’s laws concerning open government by illegally communicating about city business.
FEBRUARY 2002: Chiefland City Commissioner Sunshine Baynard filed a civil suit against the Chiefland City Commission for violating the Sunshine Law. Baynard claimed that an emergency meeting was held, without proper notification to the public, during which the Commission voted to postpone the search for a new Chiefland chief of police. (See also February 2003)
JULY 2001: Judge L. Haldane Taylor ruled that Nassau County officials did not violate the state’s Open Meetings and Public Records laws when making decisions concerning building a new courthouse in Yulee at meetings of which the public was not made aware. However, the judge did rule that the commissioners violated the Open Meetings Law when allowing Clerk of the Circuit Court J.M. Oxley Jr. to attend closed meetings.
MAY 2001: Chief Judge Sandra Taylor ruled that a Key Largo panel of wastewater experts, which helped select a company to build sewers in Key Largo, violated the state’s Open Meetings Law. Advertisements for the teleconferences were not made, and the $60 million project was discussed outside of a public meeting. The ruling voided the contract between Monroe County’s Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority and Ogden Water Systems. Monroe County and Ogden appealed the ruling. Ten months later, Chief Circuit Judge Richard Payne ordered Monroe County to pay $26,285 to the local citizens group that successfully fought the Sunshine lawsuit.
APRIL 2001: A Lee County judge found County Planning Director Paul O’Connor not guilty of failing to disclose meetings with lobbyists. Prosecutors were unable to prove that O’Connor illegally spoke with a lobbyist. O’Connor reportedly ignored the county’s disclosure law repeatedly during the six years that he served as planning director.
APRIL 2001: The Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office filed a civil action against Golden Beach town councilman Adalberto Paruas for violating Florida’s Open Meetings Law. The councilman had resident Oded Meltzer rejected from a committee meeting, during which the committee reviewed applications for the town clerk and manager positions. Paruas claimed he was not aware that the meeting was public. Meltzer sued Paruas for breaking the Sunshine Law. Beyond being responsible for $7,000 in legal fees, Paruas also settled to pay $500 in fines. Both sums will be paid by the town.
MARCH 2001: Florida’s 1st District Court of Appeals reinstated a Public Records Law conviction against Escambia County School Board member Vanette Webb. Webb had originally been fined $1,000 for withholding records and sentenced to 11 months and 15 days in jail, which was suspended to 30 days. Escambia County Judge William White Jr. reversed Webb’s conviction after seven days in jail and allowed her to be reinstated to the school board. The 1st District Court of Appeals remanded the case back to Escambia County, saying that Webb admitted that the files she withheld were public records. (See also May 1999, October 1999, November 1999, July 2003)
DECEMBER 2000: A judge ruled that Martin County commissioners violated the Sunshine law by meeting in closed-door sessions to discuss possible legal action pending against the county. The Palm Beach Post filed the suit against the county, due to the fact that the commissioners met to discuss legal notices threatening potential lawsuits. The commissioners violated the law because the county was not a party to a lawsuit. The judge ordered the county to release written transcripts of the meetings, as well as pay the newspaper’s attorney fees.
DECEMBER 2000: Levy County commissioners admitted that they violated Florida’s Open Meeting Law twice in November. The first violation occurred when commissioners-elect spoke with Commissioner Lilly Rooks about a proposed board action, for which they apologized. The second violation happened at a citizens meeting, when road paving was discussed between citizens, Commissioner Don Foley and Commissioner-elect Tony Parker, for which they too apologized. State Attorney Bill Cervone said no investigation would result, as no complaints have been filed.
DECEMBER 2000: A circuit judge ruled that a Martin County elections supervisor violated election and public records laws when she allowed Republican Party members to take absentee ballot applications from her office. Elections Supervisor Peggy Robbins allowed the Republican Party members to fill in missing information, which is against Florida Statutes.
NOVEMBER 2000: State investigators determined that the late State Attorney Harry Coe attempted to destroy public records and filed false campaign reports. Coe’s attempts to destroy records on his laptop computer were violations of the state’s Public Records Law. The investigation began in July 2000 under the requests of Gov. Jeb Bush, shortly before Coe took his own life.
NOVEMBER 2000: Tampa Palms, a community development group, agreed to pay $40,000 in legal fees after deciding not to appeal a judge’s decision that the group violated the Open Meetings Law.
OCTOBER 2000: Allan J. Egbert, the head of Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, was cleared of allegations of a Public Records Law violation by a state investigation. Egbert was accused of destroying computerized records relating to a net restriction experiment, but there was not sufficient evidence to support these accusations, initiated by attorney J. Patrick Floyd.
OCTOBER 2000: The Indian River County Hospital District Board of Trustees will be paying almost $23,000 to two former board members to help them cover part of the cost of their Sunshine Law cases. Richard Ladrich and Allen Seed were indicted for violating the Open Meetings Law by discussing board business outside a public meeting. Each man had to pay $500. Their criminal charges were dropped, but they agreed to a civil charge.
SEPTEMBER 2000: The Florida Supreme Court ruled that an Escambia county comptroller, Joe Flowers, acted without proper authority from the county commission and violated the state’s Sunshine laws. Flowers contracted with Unisys Leasing Company for a $4.8 million computer lease purchase deal, which turned out to be for obsolete computers. Flowers pleaded no contest and resigned from office.
AUGUST 2000: Judge George A. Brescher dismissed portions of a civil lawsuit filed by Sawgrass Mills against the city of Sunrise. The city was accused of violating the Sunshine Law while negotiating the approval of a new mall. City Manager Pat Salerno met with his staff and negotiated privately with the Sunrise Land Group, but the judge ruled that there was sufficient public notice of the meeting and that it is not a violation of the Sunshine Law for executive staffs and private parties to meet.
JULY 2000: A private meeting held by the state Department of Management Services to evaluate competing bids by two telecommunication companies has prompted one of them, Motorola Inc., to file suit. Motorola claims that the meeting violated the Open Meetings Law. The suit aims at invalidating the department’s choice of negotiating with Com-Net over the $300 million contract.
MAY 2000: Allegations that the Monroe County Mosquito Control Commissioners violated the Sunshine Law were dismissed. According to a special prosecutor, there was no evidence backing the accusations that the commissioners broke the law when speaking to a state senator’s assistant.
MAY 2000: A Lee County commissioner was charged with violating a county law that requires government officials to disclose private meetings with lobbyists. Commissioner John Manning was investigated for meeting with lobbyists for years without filing disclosures of the meeting dates and times with the clerk’s office. Manning was one of the commissioners to approve this requirement 10 years ago. The commissioner also failed to file a list of his lobby contacts. Manning said he misinterpreted the requirement, and thought his executive assistant filed his disclosures. Manning received a 2nd-degree misdemeanor charge and was fined $1,000 as part of a plea agreement. He has since retired.
NOVEMBER 1999: An Escambia County School Board member who spent seven days in jail for Public Records Law violations before being acquitted by an appellate judge sued the school board to recover $188,000 in legal fees. In May, Vanette Webb was convicted of knowingly withholding public records from a parent, Susan Watson, who had been critical of Webb. (See also May 1999, October 1999, March 2001, July 2003)
OCTOBER 1999: Gov. Jeb Bush reinstated suspended Escambia School Board member Vanette Webb to her position on the board after a new judge reversed her conviction for violating the state Public Records Law. On appeal, Judge William White, 1st Judicial Circuit, reversed Webb's conviction, saying prosecutors failed to admit into evidence any public record she allegedly withheld from parent Susan Watson, who had been critical of Webb. The school district was ordered to pay Webb's legal fees, estimated at $30,000. After her conviction in May, Webb spent seven days in jail. (See also May 1999, November 1999, March 2001, July 2003)
JUNE 1999: A circuit court in Martin County sentenced Paul Curry to three years in prison for using public records to harass his former neighbor. A jury convicted Curry of stalking Jacqueline DiCarlo by performing multiple public document searches and filing complaints on her with various state agencies. Curry has appealed the decision.
MAY 1999: An Escambia County School Board member spent seven days in jail for violating Florida’s Public Records Law. Gov. Jeb Bush suspended Vanette Webb indefinitely from her position as board member, and Webb could face trial before the state Senate if she does not resign. Webb had argued that she could not turn over the requested documents because they contained confidential student information. Following Webb’s May 14 conviction, 1st Judicial Circuit Judge Pat Kinsey sentenced Webb to 11 months and 15 days in jail and ordered her to pay a $1,000 fine for knowingly withholding public records from a parent who had been critical of Webb and her politics. However, Judge Kinsey suspended all but 30 days of the sentence. Judge William White, who took over the case, released Webb on a $2,000 bond pending her appeal and suspended the rest of her sentence. (See also October 1999, November 1999, March 2001, July 2003)
MAY 1999: Non-criminal charges against three Tallahassee state Department of Health officials were dropped in exchange for the health department revising its grievance policy. Phil Reeves, Sharon Heber and William Reinhold were charged with violating Florida’s Open Meetings Law when they conducted a grievance hearing for a Collier County employee. The state agency admitted no wrongdoing.
OCTOBER 1998: A St. Lucie County commissioner was arrested after allegedly directing employees to illegally obtain computerized voter rolls, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Former County Commissioner Ken Sattler was charged with computer theft, a felony, and violating state election codes, a misdemeanor. The two employees he directed to get the voter rolls were also charged. Bob Searl, director of automated services, and William Klimovich, a systems analyst, got the names and addresses of all voters in St. Lucie County for Sattler. Sattler admitted to the FDLE that he had asked the county employees to get the records, bypassing the records custodian, because it was taking too long for the custodian to fill his records request. Sattler, who resigned his position as county commissioner after his arrest, and Klimovich admitted to illegally accessing the records, according to the FDLE. Klimovich told the FDLE in an affidavit that he accessed and copied the records out of friendship and the possibility of career advancement. Sattler used the voter rolls to send political fliers to Republicans in his failed bid for re-election in October.
MARCH 1998: An administrator for the Department of Environmental Protection has been charged with violating Florida’s Open Records Law. Bobby Cooley, regional director for the DEP in Pensacola, is accused of violating the law by requiring records requesters to surrender driver’s licenses or other forms of identification while viewing public records. State Attorney Curtis Golden’s office filed the civil complaint against Cooley because according to Florida law and attorney general opinions, a records custodian may not require identification as a condition of access to public records.
SEPTEMBER 1997: Lee County Judge Edward Volz fined former Estero Fire Commissioner Vernon Conly $500 after a jury convicted Conly of violating the Open Meetings Law. Judge Volz fined three other members of the Fire Commission $250 after the three -- Georgia Gates, George Horne and John Kelley -- pleaded no contest to a similar criminal misdemeanor charge. Volz withheld formal adjudication of guilt for all four commissioners, who in return promised not to seek reinstatement to the Fire Commission. Gov. Lawton Chiles suspended the four from office after they were charged with violating the Open Meetings Law in connection with an April meeting. Members of the public filed complaints against the commissioners after a public meeting that lasted only a few minutes. Spectators at the meeting said the commissioners called the meeting to order, voted to purchase two vehicles, and adjourned before most members of the public could get into the meeting room and get seated. The room was locked until just before the meeting was called to order.
JUNE 1997: The City of Opa-Locka paid a $500 fine, $108 in court costs and made a $500 donation to United Way after former City Manager Earnie Neal pleaded guilty to violating the state's Public Records Law. Neal said he ignored 35 records requests from his predecessor as city manager, Dennis Whitt, because the requests were frivolous and amounted to harassment. Whitt, who was suing the city for wrongful termination, wanted Neal's cellular telephone records and copies of any ethics complaints against Neal. Neal resigned in May after state investigators said he withheld the records and sexually harassed employees.
MAY 1997: The Florida Supreme Court removed a Broward County judge from office for falsifying public records. In a 5-2 vote, the justices removed County Judge LaRan Johnson for back-dating records in 42 to 57 DUI cases in order to reduce her caseload. The court said the falsification of the records affected mandatory driver's license suspensions. In some cases, the records of guilty pleas were back-dated so far that the suspensions would have ended before the actual hearing date, giving some drivers no actual suspensions at all, said the court. Judge Johnson said she had an otherwise unblemished judicial record. She sought a public reprimand instead of removal and admitted she erred in falsifying the records.
MAY 1997: Gov. Lawton Chiles removed four members of the Estero Fire Commission from office after the State Attorney's Office charged them with misdemeanor violations of the Open Meetings Law. The board members allegedly failed to allow the public into the meeting room in time to take their seats before an April board meeting began. The board took one vote and adjourned before many of the spectators could enter the room, witnesses said. A judge issued an injunction requiring the board to obey the Open Meetings Law. The commissioners pleaded not guilty to the charges.
MARCH 1996: Dade Metro Commission Chairman Arthur Teele Jr. agreed not to contest a civil Open Meetings Law charge and to pay a $250 fine. The State Attorney's Office alleged that Teele met secretly in 1994 with commissioners Bruce Kaplan and Maurice Ferre, who paid fines in 1995 to settle similar charges against them. (See also August 1995)
JANUARY 1996: The State Attorney's Office charged Bartow County Supervisor Emily Burgner with an unintentional Public Records Law violation after a former county employee claimed that the county took three months to produce public records he requested. The violation carries a fine of up to $500, but no jail time.
AUGUST 1995: Two Dade County commissioners agreed to pay fines stemming from civil charges of Open Meetings Law violations. Bruce Kaplan agreed to pay $500 and Maurice Ferre agreed to pay $250 to settle charges that they met secretly in December to discuss the selection of a new county manager. Ferre offered an apology for meeting with Kaplan. Kaplan denied that the meeting with Ferre and commission Chair Arthur Teele Jr. constituted a violation. However, he acknowledged a lack of judgment and agreed to pay the fine so that he could put the matter behind him. (See also June 1996)
MARCH 1995: On the eve of his scheduled trial, Kenneth City Mayor Harold Paxton pleaded no contest to violations of the Open Meetings Law. Paxton was fined $400 in court costs. The charges stemmed from six closed meetings that Paxton allegedly attended in 1991 and 1992 regarding city construction projects. Paxton attended six of a dozen meetings that were neither advertised nor open to the public where council members approved about $8,000 in improvements to the town hall and police department building.
JANUARY 1993: Hernando County School Board members Susan Cooper, Paul Clemmons, Nancy Gordon and Leland McKeown pleaded no contest to charges of violating the Open Meetings Law. As part of their plea agreements, they agreed to study the Sunshine Law. (See also August 1992, December 1992)
DECEMBER 1992: A Hernando County judge found Hernando County School Board member Diane Rowden guilty of one misdemeanor count of violating the Open Meetings Law. She was fined $322 and ordered to pay court costs and spend four hours reading the Government-in-the Sunshine Manual. Rowden pleaded no contest to the other 12 misdemeanor and 2 non-criminal charges during her trial. Governor Lawton Chiles removed Rowden from office, but changed his order to a suspension after the Florida Supreme Court said he did not have authority to remove her from office. Subsequently, the Florida Senate voted in March 1994 not to reinstate Rowden. (See also August 1992, January 1993)
AUGUST 1992: A grand jury indicted the entire Hernando County School Board for multiple alleged violations of the Open Meetings Law occurring over a two-year span. Member Diane Rowden was charged with 13 criminal and two non-criminal charges. Member Susan Cooper was charged with five criminal and two non-criminal charges. Member Paul Clemmons was charged with one criminal and one non-criminal violation. Members Nancy Gordon and Leland McKeown were charged with non-criminal counts. (See also December 1992, January 1993)
MAY 1992: The 17th Judicial Circuit Court dismissed the Sunshine Law violation charge against former Hollywood City Attorney Maria Chiaro. The court reversed the adjudication and fine and concluded that Chiaro was not acting as a Sunshine Law "public officer" in this case and that no meeting was held that was subject to the Sunshine Law. (See also January 1991)
SEPTEMBER 1991: Seven Sumter County Board of Adjustment members, three Big Corkscrew island fire commissioners and two former Center Hill City Commission members were charged with violating the Open Meetings Law. Charges against five of the 12 accused were dropped when the fire commissioners and former council members agreed to study the law and perform 5-10 hours of community service.
MAY 1991: Sunshine Law violation charges were dropped against eight members of a Eustis advisory committee after they agreed to spend four hours studying the Government-in-the-Sunshine Manual.
APRIL 1991: Seven Highlands County officials pleaded no contest to non-criminal Sunshine Law violations. Four county commissioners and a former commissioner were charged with hiring a county attorney by secret ballot. One commissioner and two county administrators were charged with holding a secret meeting to double the county attorney's salary. Adjudication of guilt was withheld, and each defendant paid $25 in court costs.
JANUARY 1991: Broward County Judge Harvey Ford fined former Hollywood City Attorney Maria Chiaro $500 after finding her guilty of a non-criminal infraction of the Sunshine Law at the conclusion of a non-jury trial. Ford found that Chiaro was the "architect of a plan" to keep the public from decisions made for the acquisition of a new arts center. Chiaro helped the mayor form a group to recommend a site for the center. A group formed to advise decision-makers is subject to the Sunshine Law. The private meeting to consider the site was attended by Chiaro, the mayor, the city manager, other city employees and committee volunteers. Prosecutors said they charged only Chiaro because she advised them that the group could legally meet in private. (See also May 1992)
NOVEMBER 1990: Sixteen city leaders, including officials, employees and volunteers, in Mount Dora pleaded no contest to 24 counts of Sunshine Law violations. The charges stemmed from a complaint aired during a public meeting about the selection process for engineering contractors. Prosecutors split the 16 defendants into two groups: City Manager Dennis Finch and nine other city employees and elected officials "reasonably should have known and in fact did know" about the Sunshine Law. Lake County Judge William Law withheld adjudication and assessed a fine of $25 or 25 hours of community service for each count. Law also ordered the officials and employees to spend four hours reading the Government-in-the-Sunshine Manual or the fine would increase to $400 per count. He also assessed $125 in court costs. The officials and employees included Finch (five counts); council members Faye Brooks (two counts) and Nancy Duxbury; former council members R. J. Johnson and Tony Segreto (two counts); Community Development Director Ken Harley; employee Dennis Huett; Recreation Director Judy Smathers; Utility Director Art Womble; and former public works director James P. Snell. The other six defendants were committee volunteers. They were to complete the four hours of study and perform five hours of community service per count in exchange for prosecutors dropping the charges against them.
AUGUST 1990: Four Minneola city officials who met privately to discuss management polices of the public works department were convicted of violating the Sunshine Law. Mayor May Griffith and council members Donald Felt, Jerry Purvis and Harold Croncich pleaded no contest to a non-criminal charge and were fined $400 each. Lake County Judge Richard Boylston suspended all but $25 of each of their fines on the condition they study the Sunshine Law for four hours, including reading the Government-in-the-Sunshine Manual.
FEBRUARY 1990: Three Hernando County Planning and Zoning Board members pleaded no contest to violating the Sunshine Law and were fined $50 each plus court costs. Board members Robert Bubb, Oscar Zullo and Virginia Brown-Waite met with state Rep. Chuck Smith, D-Brooksville, in October 1989 to discuss state regulation of hazardous waste burning. Assistant State Attorney Jim McClure said Smith was not charged because he was not a member of the board and because evidence indicated the legislator was unaware the board had voted to look into hazardous waste regulations.
OCTOBER 1989: Former Longwood Deputy Mayor Lynette Dennis and City Commissioner Rick Bullington were found guilty in separate Seminole County jury trials of violating the Sunshine Law by discussing city business at a secret meeting. Each was fined $500, placed on probation for 60 days and ordered to perform 25 hours of community service. They also were assessed court costs. During the trials, Dennis and Bullington testified that the unannounced meeting, also attended by former Mayor David Gunter and former City Administrator Gene DeMarie, dealt entirely with political matters. Gunter and DeMarie, however, testified that the proposed acquisition of a utility system and other city business were discussed. Bullington, who was still in office and was seeking re-election, was suspended by the governor. Gunter earlier pleaded no contest to related charges.
JULY 1989: Former Longwood Mayor David Gunter was fined $500 for violating the Sunshine Law. Gunter pleaded no contest on June 30, 1989, to charges he "knowingly attended a meeting at which official acts were taken." Gunter subsequently testified against two other Longwood officials, who were convicted in separate jury trials.
JUNE 1989: Fernandina Beach Mayor Ronnie Sapp and City Commissioner Dale Dees, who had discussed by telephone who would be the town's next mayor, were found guilty by a judge of violating the state Sunshine Law. Sapp, cited for three civil violations of the Sunshine Law, pleaded not guilty. Dees, cited for two violations, pleaded guilty. Both were assessed $26 in court costs and ordered to organize and attend seminars for local officials about the Sunshine Law.
DECEMBER 1988: Two St. Augustine Beach city commissioners, Mary Stallings and Valerie Kroll, were convicted of Sunshine violations related to two radio-telephone calls during which they discussed city business. Six misdemeanor charges related to the two telephone conversations were filed. Stallings, whose commission term had since expired, pleaded no contest to two of the misdemeanor charges and was placed on probation for six months. Kroll pleaded no contest to two civil charges of violating the Sunshine Law and was fined $250 on each charge, plus court costs. Additional misdemeanor charges against Kroll were dropped. Both Kroll and Stallings were suspended by the governor.
SEPTEMBER 1988: Former Polk County Undersheriff John Simpson was fined $250 after pleading no contest to charges of intentionally withholding public records. Polk County Judge Dick Price entered a formal adjudication of guilt against Simpson on the charge, a second-class misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine. Simpson earlier resigned from the Polk County Sheriff's Department after admitting he omitted the name of a special deputy appointee from a list requested by three newspapers.
NOVEMBER 1987: Ten Auburndale city officials pleaded no contest to charges of violating the state Sunshine Law and paid fines ranging from $25 to $125. All were members of the city's Police Pension Retirement Board, which had met without public notice and awarded a former police chief $81,000 in disability benefits. State Attorney Jerry Hill said he found no criminal intent on the part of the pension board members.
APRIL 1984: Former Bradenton City Clerk Wallie Eyman was convicted of destroying public records sought by a local newspaper, a criminal violation of the state Public Records Law. The clerk was charged with one count of refusing to allow inspection of public records and two counts of destroying public records. Eyman pleaded no contest to one count of destroying public records and was sentenced to three months probation.
DECEMBER 1980: Gov. Bob Graham suspended Waldo City Councilmen Carl Beggs and Manuel Youngblood after they were found guilty by an Alachua County jury in October 1980 of violating the state Sunshine Law. The councilmen were found guilty of one charge of illegally meeting with the town's attorney. Both were later fined $10 each by County Judge Nath Doughtie.
SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 1979: Five present and former Reddington Shores city commissioners were fined a total of $1,150 on charges of violating the state Sunshine Law and interfering with an election. The charges resulted from a secret meeting among the town's mayor and four commissioners at which a letter was written that criticized a candidate in a pending election. The letter, signed by the five, was mailed at public expense.
AUGUST 1978: Former Indian Harbor Beach Mayor Jerry James pleaded no contest in Brevard County Court to violating the state Sunshine Law. He was fined $500 and sentenced to six months probation. Judge Daniel Citak suspended half of the fine and prohibited James from holding office during probation.
OCTOBER 1977: Two Glades County commissioners and the former commission chairman were found guilty of violating the state Sunshine Law and fined $500 apiece. They also were sentenced to 60 days in jail, which was suspended. Convicted by Lee County Judge William Nelson of conspiring to hold a special commission meeting without giving public notice were: Commission Chairman Charles Hall, Commissioner John Langdale and former Commission Chairman Joseph Peeples. They are believed to be the first persons convicted under the state Sunshine Law.
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