09282018 - News Article - Court filings continue to flow days before Portage mayor's corruption trial scheduled to begin

Court filings continue to flow days before Portage mayor's corruption trial scheduled to begin
News-Press Now
September 28, 2018
http://www.newspressnow.com/news/national/court-filings-continue-to-flow-days-before-portage-mayor-s/article_76620370-2cf0-5cc0-ae62-7cb92452e99d.html

HAMMOND — With less than two weeks before Portage Mayor James Snyder's public corruption trial is scheduled to begin, both sides continue to file motions and responses in the case, working to meet deadlines set by the court.

Snyder, who was indicted on charges of bribery and tax evasion in November 2016, is scheduled to go on trial with co-defendant John Cortina, of Portage, on Oct. 9.

In a court filing late Tuesday, federal prosecutors said a recent motion filed by Snyder's attorneys to dismiss two of the three charges "seeks to lead this court down a rabbit hole."

Last week, Snyder's attorney Jackie M. Bennett, of Indianapolis, filed a motion to dismiss the two bribery charges, saying evidence presented by federal prosecutors during discovery fails to establish a crime.

Federal prosecutors also answered a motion filed by Bennett last week asking certain testimony or evidence be excluded from the trial, including recordings in which Cortina allegedly uses "vulgar language," Snyder's wife's employment, his mortgage company, evidence involving other city employees, disputed email materials and how Snyder has paid his attorney's fees.

Prosecutors agreed to some of the issues, such as his wife's employment record. They also agreed to not introduce evidence about Snyder's "improper attempt to have the citizens of Portage pay his attorney's fees," a reference to Snyder's attempt to pay a combined $93,000 from the city's utility department funds to two of his defense attorneys. But federal prosecutors disputed other items.

Prosecutors also pointed out the issue regarding the disputed emails and Snyder's claim that his Sixth Amendment rights to a fair trial have been violated has not been ruled upon by the court. Snyder claims the taint team process, which filters emails, failed, allowing prosecutors to view emails he believes are attorney/client privilege.

Bennett filed two additional documents Wednesday, saying they intend to reply to the prosecutors' response within 48 hours.