10052018 - News Article - Portage mayor's corruption trial continued until Jan. 14

Portage mayor's corruption trial continued until Jan. 14 
NWI Times
October 05, 2018
https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/porter/portage-mayor-s-corruption-trial-continued-until-jan/article_2f81b705-cbab-5d89-bb68-140a654738b4.html

HAMMOND — Portage Mayor James Snyder will have to wait a little longer to have his day in court.

In an open court session Friday afternoon, U.S. Court Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen announced his decision to a motion filed a week earlier by Snyder's co-defendant John Cortina.

"In the interest of justice, it is best to begin Jan. 14," Van Bokkelen said.

Cortina's attorney Kevin Milner filed a motion Sept. 28 requesting either a continuance of the joint trial or a severing of the two cases. The motion stated Milner's child was to undergo open heart surgery on Oct. 16 and the trial was expected to last three weeks.

Federal prosecutors favored a continuance in their response to the motion. Snyder asked his trial move forward Oct. 9 as planned.

Snyder's local attorney, Tom Dogan, of Merrillville, objected to the ruling, reading a statement.

"Your honor, for the record, I ask that it be noted that this continuance was granted over my client's objections," said Dogan, adding that Snyder is anxious to go to trial "to clear his good name in the community."

"For greater than 10 percent of his life, the mayor has been living under an unfair continual dark cloud, with the meritless charges that have been leveled against him. His family, friends and the staff of the City of Portage suffer," said Dogan.

A telephonic hearing was held Tuesday in closed court to discuss the matter.

Van Bokkelen said the hearing was held outside of the public and media because some "health issues" arose that he felt should be discussed behind closed doors. Those issues, he added, had no baring on the case.

He added that Friday's ruling announcement would have normally been a post on the court's document, but decided to have an open court session to announce the ruling because there have been several hearings in the case held outside of the public's view. Several hearings were closed to the public and media in May as the sides argued over what may or may not be attorney-client privilege emails and the process used to review those emails.

This is the seventh continuance granted in the case.

Van Bokkelen said he received the case late, but initially thought it could have been tried last year. Circumstances made him realize that would not be possible and he set the October date, he said, thinking all parties would have sufficient time to prepare.

Van Bokkelen said he decided not to sever the two cases because of "other things that came up that make a difference."

When looking to reschedule the trial, he added that "putting a three to four week trial somewhere is not an easy thing to do" and settled on the January date. Deadlines for additional filing were set and a status conference will be held Jan. 3.

Snyder and Cortina were indicted in November 2016. Snyder has been under investigation by the FBI since early 2014. Snyder was charged with two counts of accepting bribes and one count of tax evasion Cortina, owner of Kustom Auto Body in Portage, was charged with one count of bribery.