VOLUSIA EXPOSED

As was outlined within our , and as was followed - up within our , this publication expressed our concerns with the recent granting by Senior Judge R. Michael Hutcheson of an appeal bond for convicted pedophile, Mark Fugler.

Unlike some, this publication does not question whether convicted defendants are entitled to appeal bonds. Those matters are defined within the law, and are within the discretion of the Court. Rather, we question why Chief Judge Raul Zambrano opted to reassigned Senior Judge R. Michael Hutcheson as the trial and sentencing judge within the Fugler prosecution?

We have sent several email requests to court officials inquirying on why Judge Zambrano reassigned the case from Judge Michael Foxman to Judge Hutcheson (see right of page), just prior to the Fugler case going to trial. Our inquiries have been answered with vague responses, advising us that Chief Judge Zambrano has the authority to reassigned the matter to Senior Judge Hutcheson. In that, this publication has no doubt. However, what we wish to know, is why it was necessary for this case to be re-assigned from a judge (Foxman) answerable to the local electorate, to a retired "senior" judge (Hutcheson), with no accountability to the electorate, due to his appointment as a senior judge, by the Florida Supreme Court?

Due to the fact that Senior Judge Hutcheson will not suffer any political blow back for his trial and sentencing decisions, or now, in his granting of an appeal bond, we feel that the judicial circuit's failure to provide a clear and concise reason for Hutcheson's assignment, only invites the public to speculate on why this reassignment transpired.

THE DEVIL IS WITHIN THE DETAILS

Notice that was NOT forwarded to Judge Foxman. Why? Well, maybe Foxman didn't have to be made aware of the reassignment, because Judge Foxman requested the reassignment? If so, why would Foxman request a reassignment of the Fugler case from his docket?

Florida's Criminal Justice System,
It's A Rigged System - From Start To Finish

Sadly, the answer to the above question, in OUR OPINION, is that the Florida criminal justice system is a rigged system, from start to finish. As was mentioned within our , we highly suspect that Mr. Fugler has local power base connections, and these "connections" have great influence and sway over members of our criminal justice system, to include the State Attorney, and our judges.

We suspect that Judge Foxman became uncomfortable with some of the wishes and desires of the local power base, regarding the disposition of the Fugler case, and Foxman decided to bail.

We speculate, that Judge Foxman knew that he would suffer political blow back if he gave Fugler a light sentence, and then an appeal bond.

Chief Judge Raul Zambrano gave Judge Foxman political cover by reassigning the case to retired Senior Judge Hutcheson, who was well insulated from any such political blow back. The power base is happy, Fugler is happy, and hopefully, the public never becomes the wiser, ..... and in walks Sheriff Chitwood.

Sheriff Chitwood is right in his message, that there is something wrong here, he is just not asking the right questions.

We suspect that absent Sheriff Chitwood's involvement, the local "justice system" was fully prepared, sometime in the near future, to to give Mr. Fugler a win within the 5th District Court of Appeals. All of that has now been put at risk, because Sheriff Chitwood refuses to play nice with the status quo.

Yeah, stand by to stand by.... there will more to come of this.........