Prosecutor asks out of Arriola case
Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernández Rundle on Friday asked the governor to appoint an outside prosecutor to investigate a March scuffle between former Miami City Manager Joe Arriola and the valet manager at the posh Mandarin Oriental hotel.
The request to Gov. Charlie Crist, faxed to his office Friday afternoon by Fernández Rundle's office, mentions that Arriola has become a witness in other unnamed cases being handled by prosecutors, raising potential conflict-of-interest issues.
In the letter, Don Horn, chief assistant state attorney for administration, wrote that another county's prosecutors should investigate the valet manager's battery allegations against Arriola ''to avoid the appearance of impropriety.'' Miami-Dade State Attorney's office spokesman Ed Griffith confirmed the letter was sent, but said he could not comment on what case or cases involve Arriola as a witness.
Arriola said he has been helping Fernánedez Rundle's office with information for years. He said he played a role in the June arrest of nearly a dozen city employees accused of doing outside private business on city time. The group called themselves ``The Firm.''
Arriola acknowledged he is helping prosecutors on other matters, but declined to discuss specifics.
Although Arriola says he has been talking to prosecutors for quite some time, state attorney's office documents cited by Griffith say he has only recently emerged as a witness.
Griffith said there is a distinction between having conversations with prosecutors and being a named witness in a case.
The letter sent to Crist's office is connected to an incident in March at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Brickell Key.
The hotel's valet manager accused Arriola -- who he said smelled of alcohol -- of throwing him over a table as the former city manager waited for his 2004 Jaguar.
Arriola denies he had been drinking, and says it was the valet manager who grew foul-mouthed and physical.
Re: Prosecutor asks out of Arriola case
Like all bullies, when the heat gets to hot and they can't no longer intimidate others, they turn to RAT B!TCHES!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Anonymous
Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernández Rundle on Friday asked the governor to appoint an outside prosecutor to investigate a March scuffle between former Miami City Manager Joe Arriola and the valet manager at the posh Mandarin Oriental hotel.
The request to Gov. Charlie Crist, faxed to his office Friday afternoon by Fernandez Rundle's office, mentions that Arriola has become a witness in other unnamed cases being handled by prosecutors, raising potential conflict-of-interest issues.
In the letter, Don Horn, chief assistant state attorney for administration, wrote that another county's prosecutors should investigate the valet manager's battery allegations against Arriola ''to avoid the appearance of impropriety.'' Miami-Dade State Attorney's office spokesman Ed Griffith confirmed the letter was sent, but said he could not comment on what case or cases involve Arriola as a witness.
Arriola said he has been helping Fernandez Rundle's office with information for years. He said he played a role in the June arrest of nearly a dozen city employees accused of doing outside private business on city time. The group called themselves ``The Firm.''
Arriola acknowledged he is helping prosecutors on other matters, but declined to discuss specifics.
Although Arriola says he has been talking to prosecutors for quite some time, state attorney's office documents cited by Griffith say he has only recently emerged as a witness.
Griffith said there is a distinction between having conversations with prosecutors and being a named witness in a case.
The letter sent to Crist's office is connected to an incident in March at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Brickell Key.
The hotel's valet manager accused Arriola -- who he said smelled of alcohol -- of throwing him over a table as the former city manager waited for his 2004 Jaguar.
Arriola denies he had been drinking, and says it was the valet manager who grew foul-mouthed and physical.
