WHAT IS BEHIND LOCAL STATE'S ATTORNEY AGREEING TO DELAY TRIAL FOR ALLEGED SERIAL MOLESTER?
Jon Susce
1/28/2022
After more than 2 years since being arrested, Self-proclaimed Bishop Reverend Henry Porter was scheduled to face charges that he molested hundreds of African American children for over 40 years on 1/31/2022.
A few days before the trial was to occur Porter's high priced, local five-star attorney Brett McIntosh requested a delay. The request was made to Ed Brodsky, who heads up the local State's Attorneys office. According to court papers, no reason was given for the request.
Brodsky agreed to the delay, pushing the trial to 4/11/2022. Again, court papers provide no reason given by Brodsky.
What is the explanation for a case taking so long to get to trial? And then being delayed even longer?
BRODSKY FAILS TO RETURN CALLS
Calls to Brodsky seeking reason for the delay have not been returned, however this reporter did speak with the second in command at the office, Craig Schaeffer.
SCHAEFFER GIVES NO ANSWER AS TO WHY THE DELAY WAS GRANTED
Schaeffer was also asked why the trial was delayed.
Schaeffer refused to answer, stating he would make no comment to this reporter, due to comments attributed to him that present Judge Donna Padar was the State's Attorney involved with the failed Porter investigation by the Sarasota Police Department (SPD) and the States Attorney office in 2000-2001, which she was.
ALLEGED CHILD MOLESTER SEEKING BAIL
The McIntosh legal team also requested a bail review on 3/3/2022. The accused molester of hundreds of African American children for over 40 years is requesting to be able to post bond and be put back on the streets of Sarasota.
Porter's first bond request was refused back in January of 2021.
MCINTOSH TEAM CLAIMS SARASOTA COUNTY JAIL HAS PUT PORTER'S HEALTH IN DANGER
Reasons given by McIntosh's team were that Porter "has medical problems not being properly addressed by the jail, which has put his health at risk."
McIntosh, in the request for Porter being given bail, has given numerous examples of inadequate medical attention to Porter at the Sarasota County jail in a 17-page indictment of health conditions at the jail.
VARIOUS FORMER STATES ATTORNEY STAFF (WHO ARE NOW JUDGES) SIGNED OFF ON FAILED 2000-2001 PORTER INVESTIGATION
According to reliable sources Brodsky had little problem going along with Porter's representatives request that Porter's trial be moved to April. The implication is that the entire scenario is a giant headache for the office which goes back decades.
According to these sources, this can be traced back to the failed investigation (a second one) that took place in 2000 and 2001. In that instance, not only did the then States Attorney Berlin refuse to move forward on Porter, there are other States Attorneys staffers who also signed off, rejecting the allegations that formed the evidence for the investigation at the beginning of this century.
Some who were part of that team, including Judge Berlin Padar and Kimberly Bonner, are now 12th Judicial District judges.
IS BODSKY PROTECTING HIS OFFICE, THE SPD AND FBI WITH THIS DELAY TACTIC?
Not only is Brodsky potentially protecting those at the States Attorney's office who were involved in the failed investigation of Porter in 200-2001, but also the City of Sarasota Police Department (SPD) and the local FBI.
As covered in previous stories by the Phoenix, The SPD investigation was led by Lynn Thomson, who now works for the Sarasota County Sheriff's Department.
The failed FBI Investigation in 2000-2001 was headed by the retired FBI agent Lynn Billings who now works for the Morgan and Morgan Law firm.