10022018 - News Article - Ruling to come later this week on fate of Portage mayor's upcoming trial

Ruling to come later this week on fate of Portage mayor's upcoming trial
NWI Times
October 02, 2018
https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/ruling-to-come-later-this-week-on-fate-of-portage/article_b8a78551-2a6c-5d53-96d5-beb27eae24df.html

HAMMOND — Whether or not Portage Mayor James Snyder's public corruption trial begins next week will be announced later this week.

U.S. Federal Court Judge Joseph Van Bokklen held a hearing Tuesday morning to consider a motion from Snyder's co-defendant John Cortina to sever his trial from Snyder's or to continue the planned joint trial to a later date. The request was made by Cortina's attorney, Kevin Milner, who's child is undergoing surgery on Oct. 16.

In responses to Cortina's motion, federal prosecutors have requested the trial be continued to a later date while Snyder, in his response, wants the trial to move forward as planned on Oct. 9.

According to court records posted after Tuesday's hearing was completed, Van Bokklen will issue his ruling in open court on a date agreed to by attorneys.

Cortina is charged with one count of offering a bribe, alleging he gave Snyder $12,000 to put a towing company associated with Cortina, owner of Kustom Auto Body in Portage, on the city's tow list. Snyder, in one of the three counts in the indictment issued in November 2016, is charged with soliciting and accepting the bribe.

Van Bokklen did issue a ruling Tuesday regarding Snyder's request last month to dismiss the two bribery charges brought against him, contending prosecutors had failed to establish a crime was committed, arguing over the legal terminology meaning of "bribes," "rewards" and "gratuities" and under which term he was being prosecuted. If under "gratuities," Snyder claimed, the two charges should be dropped.

In his ruling Van Bokklen sided with federal prosecutors, who objected to Snyder's claims, and denied Snyder's motion to dismiss.