Prosecutors Won’t Charge Plantation’s Petrocelli
BY BUDDY NEVINS
The investigation into Former Plantation Council member Rico Petrocelli by the State Attorney’s Office has ended with no charges being filed.
Petrocelli was accused of failing to disclose gifts. He asks firms doing business with the city for money for a Plantation Athletic League party.
That prosecutors dropped the investigation doesn’t mean that what Petrocelli did was right. It just means they decided they couldn’t prove to a jury that he did anything criminally wrong.
I would argue what he did was morally wrong, part of much questionable activity. If your interested, type his name into the search feature of Browardbeat.com and see what I mean.
Perhaps the most morally abhorent feature of this mess is that Petrocelli apparently didn’t know it was wrong to ask those doing business with the city for money. Regardless of whether it is for PAL.
Petrocelli voted on issues for these same businesses.
It didn’t pass the smell test.
It also stank that Petrocelli had a political sign hanging at this party for mentally and physically challenged youths. Guess who that sign promoted? Petrocelli.
My pal Lisa Huriash broke the latest chapter in the story of Petrocelli story in the Sun-Sentinel. Her story is here. She’ll have a lot more to write about.
Petrocelli is not through with Plantation politics. He’ll be back…like the ghost in the movie Poltergeist.
To haunt city hall.
August 5th, 2009 at 4:30 pm
Buddy, while there may not be criminal charges, will they submit it to the Florida Ethic Board which has a different standard to find against him?
August 5th, 2009 at 7:02 pm
Buddy….
You never cease to amaze me….
Let me get this straight….
The Broward County State Attorneys Office CLEARS this man of any CRIMINAL wrongdoing but you have to spin it!
Doesnt the basic tenants of our society state that WE are innocent until proven guilty?
This mans case was sent to the SAO for investigation and they, not anyone else but they, determined he committed NO CRIME.
So really what your saying is that Mike Satz and the whole SAO’s office only prosecutes cases if they are going to get CONVICTIONS…because under your demented logic…..he is guilty, just that the supreme law authority in Broward County couldnt get a conviction because thats what it is all about?
Buddy…..this story is so old, played out, but I guess, you couldnt wait to jump at the opportunity to jump at it. He has passed one test, lets see where the next ethics test goes….but according to the great all knowing Buddy Nevins, I propbably know the answer and it goes something like this….
“Today, the State ethics board cleared Rico, but…….” We all know youll have your own personal spin on it….
By the way Buddy…say Hi to Rae Carol, Diane, Pete and Pat Roberts when you go to breakfast….reason I say because no logical reporter would report or per say spin such BS without being in their pockets…
I thought reporters were supposed to report the facts…thats right…this is your Blog so you can spin it any way you deem fit….
By the way…you should change the name from BROWARDBEAT.COM to THEWORLDOFBROWARDCOUNTYACCORDINGTOBUDDYNEVINS.COM
FROM BUDDY: People commonly misunderstand what a failure to prosecute means.
It means that the State Attorneys Office believes it doesn’t have a strong enough case to convince a jury. That’s all it means.
The State Attorneys Office does not determine whether someone is guilty or innocent. A jury does that.
Thus, Petrocelli was not “cleared” of criminal wrongdoing. He was not cleared of anything.
And, as I wrote above, his actions did not pass the smell test.
The key question in all of this is whether Rico Petrocelli learned a lesson. Did this experience make him a better, more careful individual that all of Plantation can admire? Or will he continue to blame his own mistakes on his political enemies?
August 6th, 2009 at 6:26 am
I’m sure Rico has learned his lesson – he needs bigger guns to fight the Armstrong machine.
Not that it will matter as Armstrong says she isn’t going to run for mayor again BUT….. where were all of your problems with ethics and “morally wrong” when it was apparent Armstrong would run un-opposed for a third term? Maybe a little investigative reporting would have made recent Plantation residents more aware of what a shyster Armstrong is.
The “good ol’ girl” machine is alive and well and is long overdue to be stopped.
August 6th, 2009 at 9:20 am
All I can tell you is that PAL does not have the Political black cloud hanging over it’s head anymore…. Rico, Evan and their politically charged buddies have all been removed from PAL and the commissioners of each sports program couldn’t be happier! Let’s keep the politics out of the sports programs!! Let’s not let any of the sports commissioners use PAL again for their political launching pad!!
August 6th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
Does anyone out there know what is going on with the task force? I am not able to attend the meetings right now and the one that I did attend was a waste of time, no one was given the opporunity to voice their opinion.
August 7th, 2009 at 10:31 am
To clarify, everyone who attended the task force mtgs were allowed to voice their opinions with the exception of the 2nd mtg. Alot of good feedback came from those mtgs and as a result, the task force was able to recommend sweeping changes for PAL…. no more executive board… just sports commissioners running their own respective sports programs….. and each sports program will establish their own working relationship with the city parks & rec dept.
The city and PAL will co-exist WITHOUT ALL THE POLITICS!!! ALL THE CLOWNS ARE GONE!
August 7th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
So Buddy
Let me get this straight….
The SAO decides not to prosecute because they only pursue cases on a likelihood of conviction….and a guilty one at that….
Wow…that sounds like a juicy story for you in itself….
This “smell” test you talk of…..is it a legal binding test or is it yours exclusive…because I think your olfactory senses need some tweaking…..
Buddy, let me ask you, lets hypothetically fast foward and the state ethics board clears him….will you still have a beef with him?
PAL PARENT AND RESIDENT……
One question…..how come none of the meeting minutes have been posted for all of us to read….youd think with such an important topic that the city had to step in would warrant as much information in the public realm….isnt that the whole reason the city stepped in….mismanagement and closed door dealings?
August 10th, 2009 at 8:23 am
Thanks Pal Parent, for the update.
I guess I was at the 2nd meeting.
Glad to hear something has happened. Hope it all works out for the best.
August 10th, 2009 at 9:51 am
Plantation Truth
Like I said, the meetings are open to the public and I am sure the PAL minutes have the task force update also in their minutes……. there is no pleasing some people!!
Get a life!
August 13th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
The 3rd PAL mmeeting last did not mention politics. For the first time in ten years or more, the clowns were gone and the ENTIRE meeting was about kids sports. What a pleasant change.
August 13th, 2009 at 2:09 pm
To PAL Truth….
Me get a life because I ask questions?????
Isnt that what we are supposed to do as concerned citizens
Just to appease you…I did my research on the City and PAL website and nada…zip
If you dont beleive me, heres the site:
http://www.palsports.org/index.php?news=37
This is status quo for the city….keep as much public information from the citizens
And for the record, I do believe the city and PAL Task Force is doing a great job!
Id just like to read the minutes
By the way…you must have no life either seeing as how you have posted just as many times on here too….
September 17th, 2009 at 2:40 pm
I wonder what waste in the city Rico was about to uncover to start all this mess. He was the most responsibe Councilman we’ve had in my 50 years of following Plantation politics. Recent developments on Pat Roberts are going to prove interesting but didn’t surprise me.