No indictments in Jim Smith investigation

A grand jury has decided not to issue criminal indictments in the controversy over the Pinellas County Commission's decision to buy a piece of land from longtime Property Appraiser Jim Smith.

Instead, the grand jury Thursday issued a report known as a presentment. The report will remain sealed from public view for 15 days so that anyone mentioned in it has a chance to review the presentment and, if they wish, file a motion to keep it sealed.

A grand jury has decided not to issue criminal indictments in the controversy over the Pinellas County Commission's decision to buy a piece of land from longtime Property Appraiser Jim Smith.

Instead, the grand jury Thursday issued a report known as a presentment. The report will remain sealed from public view for 15 days so that anyone mentioned in it has a chance to review the presentment and, if they wish, file a motion to keep it sealed.

The grand jury this month took testimony from more than 40 witnesses, including Smith, County Attorney Susan Churuti, County Administrator Steve Spratt and all seven county commissioners.

Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney Bernie McCabe said he was grateful for the grand jury's work and said its response was appropriate for the situation presented to them.

"There was a lot for them to digest and chew on," McCabe said. "They worked hard."

McCabe decided to convene the grand jury after the St. Petersburg Times reported that commissioners voted unanimously on June 5 to buy 1.5 acres that Smith owned in East Lake. The county paid $225,000 -- nearly four times what Smith's office assessed the land for tax purposes.

Churuti represented both the county and Smith in the negotiations leading up to the deal -- something that most commissioners did not know until after they approved the purchase. Commissioners voted July 31 to suspend Churuti with pay while the grand jury scrutinized the deal.

-- Will Van Sant, Times staff writer (Times photo | Douglas R. Clifford)

Comments

Somebody had better tell Charlie Crist the news. We heard last week that he already sent Jim a letter restoring his voting rights.

RIDICULOUS! Public officials equal open public records. Such an act of greed and blatant disregard of public trust goes with a slap on the wrist. They may not have broken the law, but this is a perfect example of HORRIBLE GOVERNING and BAD FAITH with the public.

The only up side- and it is an up side- is that the upcoming elections provide an excellent oppy to eject these greedy jerks from office. Outta here!

How dumb can you get to make so many mistakes? Ft. DeSoto, Brooker Creek, using taxpayer money to advocate for elections, and now this????

[politicalspectator]

One mo' time the Pinellas County Commission pulled another fast one and got away with it.

[Gene Smith]

The presentment should be interesting. I can not imagine that in a case involving elected officials and public employees that it will be kept sealed.

Having said that, this is not over by a long shot. There is an ethics complaint against Smith and the bar must be looking at Chiruti. Stay tuned.

4:49 is olmos relevant

[agatha]

Smith will be answerable to the voters of Pinellas County whom I trust are, as a group, more intelligent than the personal sampling that I know.

The Times is amazing. They initially say Ms. Churuti represented both then it morphs to her handling negotiations for both. This is a lie. The presentment will say she had them sign the disclosure letter so she could at least talk to them but did not really represent both of them. I bet there will be no apology letter.

[Sickofit]

Geez St Pete Times, print some NEWS! It is obvious to all but bloggers that SOMEBODY there has it out for Smith. Probably that petulant editor. Did he not like his value and not get any relief from Smith's office? Sure looks like it. And editor-guy gets to vent and Smith, Commissioners and employees in both offices have to live through his tantrum.

Of course their won't be an apology. The TIMES has flat out lied about Susan Churuti's involvement. She was and has always been completely open and honest. She has been that way her whole career and the no talent hacks at the times should be ashamed of themselves.

"Ethics 101": the appearance of conflict of interest is reason not to do something. It has to do with transparency and trust. Why is it the hardest thing for the BOCC to learn is the least complicated?

By the way, the media hates secrecy. And I'm glad someone out there does. Smith, Spratt, Duncan, and Churuti dug their own grave.

I think the Commissioners doth protest too much in trying to pin the blame on Chiruti. I bet they knew full well what the deal was and wanted her to handle the transaction.

[JoeDaVoter]

If I were Bob Allen, Angelo Cappelli, or Sherri Mcinvale I would be looking to get my case in front of this grand jury. On the other hand a trial in the media is not always a fair trial, and the system while not perfect is the one we have. Grand Juries do their thing, and that is the system. Hopefully the records will be made public so if folks were actually in the right they can clear their name, and if they were in the wrong then voters can act on that information.

[mike]

Wow, it looks like Smith's and Churuti's mothers came out to post here today. I'll buy that Churuti was torn and walking a fine line, but Smith is just a completely dishonest scumbag. I want to see a federal grand jury charging him with tax evasion. Where are the federal prosecutors? If the SPT can dig up evidence, then why can't the justice department? This clown was out there telling struggling home owners to suck it up and shut up, and he was cheating on his own federal taxes. Why don't you take that W2 that says you made 40k and claim you made 30k, and see how that works out for you? Smith is a pig feeding at the public trough, and he's an arrogant little as*hole to boot. Now we'll see if the residents of Pinellas county have the sense to vote these people out of office. Smith is long gone, but I bet the county commissioners survive this nonsense.

[joe]

I am delighted that the voters will have the opportunity to offer justice to Jim Smith in 2008.

Where do I sign up to have the county buy my property for 4 times the appraised value? Will the county supply the lawyer while we are at it?

Bring on the elections!

Joe, the trick is to drastically undervalue your property for years, and THEN jack it up when you want to sell it. Grab a county atty to help hammer it through, oh and throw a good old fashioned tantrum- brought on by the stress of buying a new mansion after your divorce.
But, you have to be the elcted person in office to get that kind of special treatment. The plebes who are just ordinary voters can stand in the back in the line and pay through the teeth.

I agree with Mike's general comments on Smith. By way of diclaimer, I am a friend of Churuti's although not her mother. The commissioners will survive because they will gutlessly blame her for their mistakes and she has too much class to turn on them.

Puhlease. Class was nowhere near this whole sordid mess. Nowhere near.

Churuti deserves to be absolved--the county manager is who threw her under the bus but the county commission hoped on it (the bus). She wasn't 'representing' Smith but she did facilitate the transaction. Her error was being too lawyerly and having Smith and County Commission chair both sign waivers. Let the voters throw the politicians out and let Susan land on her feet at one of the big Tampa Bay law firms.

I told you all he'd walk. Smith did nothing wrong. The BOCC, Spratt and Churuti are the criminals.