Opinion ID: 535716
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Language of the Two Indictments

Text: 16 In order to decide whether the charges and underlying facts in the two indictments returned against Italiano are sufficiently similar to provide him with notice, we must examine the language of those indictments.
17 Count IV of the indictment, under which Italiano was specifically charged with violating section 1341, states that Italiano and others would and did engage in the acts set forth in paragraph 14 of COUNT TWO of this Indictment. Paragraph 14 of Count II, incorporated into Count IV, makes reference to a cable television franchise. It states that: 18 Between in or about January, 1980 and in or about December, 1980, Nelson Italiano and others, corruptly offered, promised and gave Charles Frank Bean III and Robert E. Curry, public servants, and Charles Frank Bean III and Robert E. Curry, corruptly requested, solicited, agreed to accept and accepted, a benefit with an intent and purpose to influence an act which Nelson Italiano believed to be, and Charles Frank Bean III represented as being, within the official discretion of Charles Frank Bean III and Robert E. Curry relating to Cable Television Franchise Agreement No. 80-563, chargeable under Florida Statutes, Section 838.015 and an act of racketeering involving bribery as defined by Title 18, United States Code, Section 1961(1). 19 (emphasis added). Count IV of the indictment also incorporates paragraphs 1 through 3 of Count III, which set forth the objects of the scheme. 4 Paragraph 2 of Count III states that Italiano and others: 20 knowingly and willfully devised and intended to devise a scheme and artifice to defraud the citizens of Hillsborough County, and the citizens of the State of Florida generally of their right to the following: 21 a. conscientious, loyal, faithful, disinterested and unbiased services, decisions, actions and performance of official duties of the Board of County Commissioners, Hillsborough County, Florida; and 22 b. to have the business of the Board of County Commissioners, Hillsborough County, Florida, and its affairs conducted honestly and impartially, free from deceit, craft, trickery, corruption, fraud, undue influence, dishonesty, conflict of interest, unlawful obstruction and impairments and in accordance with the laws of the State of Florida and Hillsborough County.
23 The second indictment alleges that Italiano and others: 24 knowingly devised and intended to devise, and aided and abetted the devising of, a scheme and artifice (a) to defraud the government of Hillsborough County, Florida, of money and property, that is: 25
26
27 (3) the value and proceeds of bribes paid to elected members of the Board of County Commissioners of Hillsborough County, Florida to induce them to violate their duty to the government and citizens of Hillsborough County, Florida, honestly, impartially, and free from deceit, graft, corruption, fraud, undue influence, dishonesty, and bribery; 28 and (b) for obtaining from the government of Hillsborough County money and property, namely, a cable television franchise, by means of false and fraudulent pretenses, representations and promises,.... 29 Prior to trial, the government abandoned the theories of fraud listed under (2) and (3) and proceeded to trial only on the allegation that the government was deprived of a cable television franchise. 5