A Broward jury has cleared Matthew Bent of second-degree attempted murder in the burning of Michael Brewer, convicting him instead of aggravated battery, a lesser-included charge that carries a lighter maximum sentence than the 30 years Bent originally faced.

The six-member jury listened to three days of testimony last week, much coming from teenage witnesses whose conflicting accounts of the attack on Brewer only agreed on critical details.

Defense lawyers Johnny McCray and Perry Thurston pointed out a crucial omission that even prosecutors conceded: Bent never set Brewer on fire and never asked or expected anyone else to do so.

Without that intent, McCray argued, Bent should not be convicted of trying to kill Brewer. McCray also disputed the contention that Bent wanted anyone else to fight Brewer or pour alcohol on him.

Jurors apparently agreed with the first part of McCray’s argument but rejected the second.

Bent will be sentenced July 23.

The Florida Ethics Commission has found no cause to pursue complaints against a current and four former Deerfield Beach officials over allegations that they failed to properly disclose free tickets they received to the Mango Festival previously held in the city or solicited tickets to it from city lobbyists.

The complaints were filed by blogger Chaz Stevens and stem from a report done for the city by Kessler International that raised questions about the ticket distribution in 2006 and 2007.

Vice Mayor Marty Popelsky, suspended Commissioner Sylvia Poitier, former Mayor Al Capellini and former Commissioners Steve Gonot and Pam Militello were listed in separate complaints brought before the Ethics Commission on Friday. The commission’s findings were made public today.

Kessler’s report said Poitier, Militello andGonot requested and received blocks of tickets to the Mango Festival for free and distributed them to garner political support. It said Popelsky and Capellini also received tickets to the festival.

But the Ethics Commission said the evidence did not support that the five had broken state ethics rules for accepting and not reporting gifts.

During Tuesday’s meeting, the Deerfield city commissioners are expected to discuss a tentative date offered to hold a special election to replace suspended District 2 commissioner Sylvia Poitier.

Poitier was recently suspended after being arrested on misdemeanor corruption charges.

Previously, Deerfield City Attorney wrote in a memo to commissioners [as stated in the April 21 Observer newspaper] that is was his “opinion that the temporary vacancy created by the suspension of Commissioner Poitier should be filled by a special election to be held no sooner than 45 days nor later than 75 days from the date the vacancy was created …”

Recommendation was based on the city charter, Section 3.10 discussing filling of vacancies.

At that time, Deerfield was looking at May 30, June 30 — or whenever the Supervisor of Elections can do it per advertising requirements.

Maurodis went on to say: “It is also clear that if the commissioner is cleared of the charges during her elected term, the governor will reinstate her to that position and the person elected to fill the vacancy will be divested of his/her position.”

Deerfield Beach commissioner Sylvia Poitier has been officialy removed from official duties. Late Thursday night, April 14, Gov. Rick Scott issued an executive order suspending Poitier after she was charged with four counts of falsifying or avoiding a record in violation of Florida Statuutes. In addition she is facing one charge of falsifying proceedings.

Poitier turned herself into Broward County Jail on Wednesday, April 14. See previous article here.

See the Governor’s suspension orders including comments from the Broward State ATtorney’s Office by clicking 2011 4 14 EO 11-78 Poitier executive order.

Updated as of 4:22 pm on April 13 – Sylvia Poitier has turned herself in at the Broward County Jail just before noon on April 13. Once the Broward Sheriff’s Office releases more information about the charges, they will be posted.

Criminal charges have officially been filed against Deerfield Beach commissioner Sylvia Poitier. According to the Broward State Attorney’s office, Poitier is facing five misdemeanor charges related to voting conflicts of interests that could have benefited family members.

Prosecutors with the Broward State Attorney’s office and the Broward Sheriff’s office worked together to pull the charges together against Poitier whose brother manages a charity that she used her position to allegedly direct money towards according to the charges. The complaints originate with a vote two years ago, in March 2011, that Poitier voted fora grant in facor of the Westside Deerfield Businessmen Association. When she made the vote, a conflict of interest was not filed noting she shouldn’t vote for the $30,000 grant. Poitier’s brother, Lionel Ferguson had loaned $47,000 to the group and had not been paid back yet. Despite the city not approving the grant, it was a conflict because of the direct influence she used to benefit her brother receiving funds owed.

Poitier, 75, has been on the Deerfield commission at various times since 1975, including serving as vice mayor. This time, she was elected in 2008, winning a re-election bid this past March 2011. Poitier turned herself in this morning just before noon and was  released on bond at 3:17pm

She faces 5 counts of  FALSIFY PUBLIC OR COURT RECORDS all first- degree misdemeanors.