Posted on 02/24/2007 11:12:50 AM PST by Stultis
Norman's guilty, guilty, guilty The month-long trial included testimony from four judges, tales of last-minute election shakedowns and struck a blow to politics as usual, Brooklyn-style. "We were taking a creature that has been around politics for much too long and we have exposed it for the evil that it is," said Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes. "Any political leader who engages in this kind of rank extortion ... does so at her or his peril." Norman sat impassively, glancing at his father, mother and other family members just before the jury of seven blacks, three whites and one South Asian filed into the Brooklyn Supreme Court's large ceremonial courtroom. Reactions were muted, but lead prosecutor Michael Vecchione and his three colleagues stiffened and Norman's eyebrows raised as the forewoman pronounced him not guilty of the first count of attempted grand larceny. But Norman's forehead furrowed as she repeated the word "guilty" on three counts of shaking down civil court candidate Karen Yellen for $10,000 to party operatives the night before the 2002 Democratic primary. Norman was acquitted of five charges mostly relating to extorting a second candidate, Marcia Sikowitz. But the former 12-term assemblyman, already sentenced to two to six years in two previous trials for pocketing and soliciting illegal campaign contributions, now faces an additional 2-1/3 to seven years in state prison. Norman is appealing the previous convictions and, unbowed and smiling in his dark pin-striped suit as he was surrounded by his lawyers and family outside Brooklyn Supreme Court, vowed to appeal yesterday's verdict as well. "Of course it is" a victory, he told reporters, referring to the mixed verdict and to Bronx Supreme Court Justice Martin Marcus' decision to allow him to remain free on bail instead of throwing him in jail, as Vecchione requested. "I'm glad to be talking to you out here," the former boss of Brooklyn laughed, "as opposed to being somewhere else." "It's not what I had anticipated, but we will deal with it," he said, reiterating his lawyer's strategy of insisting that what he did was political, not criminal. "I stand convicted of a felony for helping people." Hynes, who has spent five years going after political and judicial corruption, was aghast at Norman's defiance. "My lord, he's been convicted of extortion," Hynes said. "Someone should have told him that he should be talking about humility and guilt and understanding of the nature of his crimes." Norman, free on $110,000 bail, was ordered to pay an additional $50,000 on Monday, the same day an appellate court is slated to hear his appeal on the previous cases.
A HISTORY OF DIRTY DEALINGS
Former Brooklyn Democratic boss Clarence Norman has now been convicted three times in four trials: Sept. 27, 2005: Convicted of soliciting a campaign contribution in excess of the legal limit. Gives up his Assembly seat, his party post and his law license.
BY SCOTT SHIFREL
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Saturday, February 24th, 2007
It was strike three yesterday for disgraced ex-Brooklyn Democratic Party leader Clarence Norman, as a third jury in 18 months found him guilty of corruption - this time for extorting a judicial candidate.
Dec. 15, 2005: Convicted of pocketing a $5,000 check made out to his campaign committee.
March 24, 2006: Acquitted of submitting false travel vouchers when he was an Assemblyman.
Feb. 23, 2007: Convicted of grand larceny in a scheme to illegally solicit and pocket campaign contributions.
| Norman Guilty of Extorting Judge (former chairman of the Brooklyn's Democratic party) ^ |
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| Posted by neverdem On News/Activism ^ 02/23/2007 10:33:31 PM CST · 3 replies · 78+ views NY Sun ^ | February 23, 2007 | JOSEPH GOLDSTEIN Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes won his biggest victory to date today against the former chairman of the borough's Democratic party. After nearly three days of deliberations, a Brooklyn jury found Clarence Norman Jr. guilty of extorting a judicial candidate. Norman's most recent trial — his fourth — was the first to address, even indirectly, allegations that judgeships have been bought and sold in Brooklyn. Mr. Hynes has staked his legacy on the outcome of his investigation into the sale of judgeships. The investigation, now in its fifth year, continues, Mr. Hynes' deputy, Michael Vecchione, said following the verdict. Prosecutors... |
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NYC Krupshun Ping
Too, too bad. Another Dem down the drain.
'Sounds like a dem presidential frontrunner to me. Perhaps he should form an exploratory committee.
There wouldn't be a Democrat party if there was any real justice in this country. Every single one of them would be sitting in jail for one reason or another.
Wonder how many hours of commnity service he will do rather than going to jail.
There's that Repubican "culture of corruption" again.
Oh, wait a minute...
Looks like he's ready to run for national office as Rat candidate now.....
Repubican = Republican.
Used the spell checker this time.
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