Norman Plans To Upend Conviction
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Today is reportedly the deadline for the former leader of the Brooklyn Democrats, Clarence Norman Jr., to give investigators information that could further expose corruption in the Brooklyn courts.
An attorney representing Norman, Edward Rappaport, would not say whether Norman had been given a deadline by the Brooklyn district attorney, and he said that deadlines are negotiable.
“I gave my kids curfews. If they came in a half hour after curfew, what could I do to them?” Mr. Rappaport said.
The attorney said Norman, an assemblyman for 23 years and the leader of the Brooklyn Democratic Party for 15 years, is preparing to appeal his conviction. He said an attorney specializing in appeals has been added to Norman’s legal team.
“I’ve studied my options: One is to take an appeal, and we intend to do that,” Mr. Rappaport told The New York Sun.
He denied that Norman was being coerced into striking a deal. “I don’t think he’s being squeezed in any way,” Mr. Rappaport said.
The Brooklyn district attorney, Charles Hynes, has said publicly that he will listen to offers from Norman if he wants to cooperate with the active investigation of judicial corruption and the alleged sale of judgeships by Democratic Party officials. A spokesman for Mr. Hynes, Jerry Schmetterer, would not comment on newspaper reports that said Norman had until today to cut a deal with prosecutors in exchange for leniency in sentencing.
Brooklyn officials have suggested that the time is ripe for Norman to make a deal with prosecutors, who may be seeking to map out connections between judges and alleged payoffs to Democratic Party officials.
Norman faces up to four years in state prison following his conviction last month in state Supreme Court in Brooklyn of violating election law and falsifying business records. Norman can appeal the conviction after the sentencing, scheduled for November 28.
On top of that conviction, Norman faces three more felony indictments. Jury selection for a second trial is scheduled to begin on November 7.
The remaining charges against Norman include coercing two judicial candidates to hire preferred vendors during an election campaign, stealing $5,000 from his re-election committee and putting the money to personal use, and submitting fraudulent vouchers to the state for reimbursement of travel expenses.
