Eddie Perez successfully appealed his initial convictions saying that the trial court wrongly combined two separate cases into one trial.
Former Hartford Mayor Eddie Perez was convicted on several corruption related charges over five years ago. He's since fought the verdict. And now the state's highest court has announced it will hear Perez's appeal next month.
Hartford has, in large part, moved on. Eddie Perez was its first strong mayor, and his story as a successful Puerto Rican and a capital city CEO was a source of pride. But when a jury found him guilty of extortion and bribery back in 2010 and he was sentenced to three years in prison, things changed. Now, the city is in the midst of its second mayoral election since Perez resigned his office, and his is a name you don't hear too often.
But while the political system may have moved on, the judicial system hasn't. Perez successfully appealed his initial convictions saying, in part, that the trial court wrongly combined two separate cases into one trial.
In one case, he was charged with bribery and other offenses; he allegedly gave favorable consideration to a city contractor while that contractor was also doing deeply discounted work on the then-mayor's house. In the second case, Perez was charged in a scheme to extort a contractor who wanted to develop city-owned property.
A state appellate court agreed with Perez and ordered two new trials. State prosecutors then appealed that ruling, and now the state Supreme Court will hold oral arguments in the case. The hearing is set for 10:00 am on October 13.
