Tallahassee Businessman J.T. Burnette is asking a federal judge to separate his case from former city Commissioner Scott Maddox and his former aide Paige Carter Smith and dismiss charges against him. In May Burnette was indicted in an FBI investigation into corruption in the city of Tallahassee.
The FBI says Burnette directed payments between a developer and Maddox. The company was an FBI front set up as part of its investigation.
Burnette's attorneys want him to be tried separately, or at least, have a separate, second jury. Burnette’s defense says he wasn’t a part of other activities in the case which date back to 2010 and that he only became involved in 2016.
The defense also wants the government to disclose the identity of several unnamed witnesses and companies. They say they won’t be able to properly prepare for cross-examination without knowing who those persons and entities are before trial.
A November 4th trial date has been set for Maddox and Carter-Smith. They're accused of using the company Maddox founded and later handed off to Carter-Smith, Governance, as a pass-through for the scheme.
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