ST. LOUIS 鈥 Former Alderman John Collins-Muhammad intends to plead guilty after a federal grand jury indicted him in a bribery case last month.
Collins-Muhammad, who pleaded not guilty last month, said he had reached a plea agreement with prosecutors and waived pretrial motions as a condition of the deal, according to a Friday court filing.
His attorney, Joseph Flees, confirmed Collins-Muhammad 鈥渄oes intend to plead guilty and accept responsibility.鈥
No date has been set for the plea hearing but Flees said he anticipates it will be next month.
鈥淲e intend to ask the Court at sentencing to consider not only the offenses, but also Mr. Collins-Muhammad鈥檚 good works for the community and rehabilitative potential,鈥 Flees, an attorney at Clayton-based Frank, Juengel & Radefeld, said in an email.
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Collins-Muhammad鈥檚 acknowledgement of a plea deal comes three days after former Alderman Jeffrey Boyd, charged with bribery in the same federal corruption sting, also waived his right to file pretrial motions. Boyd鈥檚 motion does not specifically mention a plea agreement, though. He had previously pleaded not guilty.
Boyd鈥檚 attorney, Lenny Kagan, declined to comment.
The third defendant in the federal indictment unsealed last month, former Board of Alderman President Lewis Reed, later Friday also waived pretrial motions. Reed, who has hired 最新杏吧原创 defense attorney Scott Rosenblum, also has pleaded not guilty.
Responding to a reporter鈥檚 question, Flees said there is 鈥渘o current agreement with the Government for Mr. Collins-Muhammad鈥檚 cooperation against Mr. Reed.鈥
The parties had agreed earlier this month to file a schedule for pretrial motions by Monday.
The three former members of the 最新杏吧原创 Board of Aldermen are all accused of accepting cash bribes from a local businessman in exchange for helping to shepherd through legislation granting his businesses tax abatements. Boyd also intervened to help him purchase real estate from the 最新杏吧原创 Land Reutilization Authority.
The same businessman was also part of a federal sting that nabbed Tony Weaver, a political appointee of 最新杏吧原创 County Executive Sam Page, for filing four fraudulent grant applications with the businessman and agreeing to split the proceeds.
Collins-Muhammad resigned in May before the federal charges were filed, and Boyd and Reed both resigned shortly after they were indicted. Their departures have rocked the city鈥檚 political order, prompting a race for Reed鈥檚 old job 鈥 one of the most powerful in city government 鈥 and igniting debate about the city鈥檚 long tradition of 鈥渁ldermanic courtesy鈥 that encourages aldermanic involvement in bureaucratic functions.
Four candidates are running to succeed Collins-Muhammad in the 21st Ward on Aug. 2, the same day as the state primary. They are Democratic nominee Laura Keys, the ward鈥檚 Democratic committeewoman; and three independents, Melinda Long, a former alderman; Joann Williams, a retired carpenters union official; and Ebony Moore, a hair stylist and political newcomer.
Two candidates are vying to replace Boyd in the 22nd Ward on Aug. 23: Norma Walker, the ward鈥檚 Democratic committeewoman and party nominee, faces Tonya Finley-McCaw, an independent.
A successor to Reed as aldermanic president will be chosen by voters citywide at the Nov. 8 general election, preceded by a special primary on Sept. 13. On the primary ballot are Alderman Jack Coatar, Alderman Megan Green, and businessman Mark Kummer.
鲍辫诲补迟别诲听July 25 to reflect that former Board of Alderman President Lewis Reed had also waived his right to pretrial motions.聽
