High 90 Low 75 40 percent CHARLOTTE SUN chance of rain MANAFORT DEPUTY RICK GATES ADMITS EMBEZZLEMENT Pulitzer Prize winner The government’s star witness in the financial fraud trial of Paul Manafort testified that he embezzled money from the former Trump 2016 campaign chairman — and that he and Manafort committed crimes together. See The News Wire Tuesday, August 7, 2018 Vol. 126 | Issue No. 219 www.yoursun.com AMERICA’S BEST COMMUNITY DAILY $1.50 AN EDITION OF THE SUN One dead State Attorney candidate charged in Charlotte with violating election laws County crash By ANNE EASKER has endorsed members have flocked to Burger, confirmed Crowley STAFF WRITER and actively Crowley, who has promised had returned the money, By ANNE EASKER campaigned to prosecute alleged illegal which the group planned STAFF WRITER State Attorney candidate for Crowley’s slaughterhouse operations to donate to local animal Chris Crowley was arrested opponent, Chief in Lee County, which Russell rescues. PORT CHARLOTTE — One Monday on two felony Assistant State has declined. Crowley said at the time person was killed in a crash at the charges for violating election Attorney Amira During the fundraiser, Russell’s request for an laws, the Lee County Sheriff’s Fox. raffle ticket sales gleaned investigation was wholly intersection of U.S. 41 and State CROWLEY Road 776 early Monday morn- Office reported. The request $670. Crowley told the Sun political. ing, the Florida Highway Patrol In June, State Attorney related to a raffle conducted he returned the money to The letter from Russell to reported. Stephen Russell asked the at a campaign event for event organizers after con- FDLE stated he would be At 5:14 a.m., the driver of a 2015 Florida Department of Law Crowley at a restaurant in tacting the Florida Elections asking Gov. Rick Scott to Honda Fit reportedly ran a red Enforcement to investigate Fort Myers hosted by mem- Commission to ask whether assign another State Attorney light at the intersection, traveling Crowley, who is running bers of an animal welfare he could keep it. One of the northbound on U.S. 41. The car to replace him. Russell advocacy group. Group group members, Joanne ELECTION | 4 traveled directly into the path of a 2008 Dodge Ram pickup entering the intersection in the inside lane of State Road 776. The pickup was driven by Jeffery Elmore, 60, of Rotonda West, according to a press release. Farewell to the fallen The front left of the Honda collided with the front right of the truck, causing the pickup to rotate counterclockwise and overturn, continuing northeast through the intersection where it collided with a sign. The Honda came to a final rest in the inside lane of State Road 776 facing northeast, while the truck stopped partially on the paved median and inside lane, facing southwest. The driver of the Honda was pronounced deceased at the scene. The person’s identity has not yet been released, as FHP works to notify the next of kin. Elmore was transported to Lee Memorial Hospital with critical injuries. SUN PHOTOS BY JERRY BEARD An Honor Guard stands by the casket of slain Ft. Myers police Officer Adam Jobbers-Miller. Public pays tribute to slain Fort Myers officer BY NEWS-PRESS STAFF pay respects to Fort Myers police Officer A lone man waved Adam Jobbers-Miller an American flag at Six and his family. The SUN PHOTO BY ANNE EASKER Mile Cypress Parkway 29-year-old police at Colonial Boulevard A vehicle is towed from the scene of a officer died on July 28 fatal crash Monday morning, where the as a fleet of Cape Coral — one week after being driver died after colliding with a pickup. police vehicle drove by, shot with his own duty their sirens flashing. weapon by 29-year- At nearby intersec- old Wisner Desmaret. CHARLIE SAYS tions, law enforcement Desmaret remains in vehicles were readying jail without bond. We salute you to close the roadway to The procession began commemorate the loss at Gendron Funeral of life of one of their Home on East Mall own. Drive in Fort Myers and At Winkler Avenue, turned onto Colonial David Todd leaned Boulevard going to CALL US AT against a railway and Treeline Boulevard Family members were in the front row of the service. 941-206-1000 smoked a cigarette as where it turned south he waited. and made its way to funeral procession for a Officer Andrew Widman “It’s such a terrible FIND US ONLINE The 76-year-old was Germain Arena for the fallen police officer. He who was killed 10 years thing,” Todd said. “It one of the first to arrive service. said he was at the one ago in downtown Fort www.yoursun.com at the intersection to This is not Todd’s first for Fort Myers police Myers. TRIBUTE | 4 INDEX THE SUN NEWS WIRE Ethics commission: Former North Port lawyer broke state law Crosswords .......... 8 Comics/Puzzles ....5-7 By LAUREN COFFEY What initially ensure she understood what Enforcement Board with a Obituaries ........... 5 Nation ................. 3 STAFF WRITER started as a was happening. Code Enforcement Special Police Beat .......... 5 Stocks .................. 4 complaint in “I thought, ‘Am I seeing Magistrate. Viewpoint ........... 6 Weather .............. 2 TALLAHASSEE — After four 2014 from North this? It can’t be,’” Brunni said. He recommended the com- Opinion ............... 7 World .................. 2 years of back and forth, the Port property “I went back and transcribed mission consider him for both Commission on Ethics has owner Conni some of the meetings; I have of the positions. Robinson OUR TOWN ruled former North Port at- Brunni snow- these pages of notes in my declined to comment. Calendar .............. 7 SPORTS torney Robert Robinson acted balled into an own handwriting. So I read it Brunni initially warned ROBINSON Business News ..1-5 Lottery ................ 2 unethically when he worked investigation all and thought, ‘This is way the commission she would Local Sports ........ 8 Sports on TV ........2 for the city. from the commission. worse than I even thought file a complaint with the State ................... 6 The commission found Brunni, who had moved initially. This is so bad it needs Commission on Ethics and Robinson had a misuse of to the area from California, to be exposed.’” the Florida Bar Association public position, which is a vi- began watching North Port Robinson had required if they continued with DAILY $1.50 olation of Florida state statute. City Commission meetings the commission to make an Robinson’s plan. When they On July 28 the commission online. When she realized appointment of a Zoning proceeded, she filed a com- recommended Governor Rick some of the actions Robinson Hearing Officer. He also plaint on Oct. 10, 2014. Scott fine Robinson $5,000 took seemed unethical, she encouraged commis- “At the time and throughout and publicly censure and began transcribing some sioners to amend the city reprimand him. of the meetings by hand to code, replacing the Code LAW | 4 Page 2 E/N/C www.yoursun.com LOCAL/REGIONAL NEWS The Sun | Tuesday, August 7, 2018 Naples attorneys compete for circuit judge seat By ANNE EASKER Conflict and Civil run for public office — able to recite statutes. STAFF WRITER Regional Counsel to to be a public servant. SEE MORE ELECTION COVERAGE IN “Wisdom comes from provide representation He believes the most UPCOMING EDITIONS OF THE SUN knowing how a family Two private Naples to indigent defendants. important qualities for law order is going to af- attorneys are vying McGowan touts his a judge are courtroom fect a family when they for an open judgeship decades of experi- experience, patience, WEDNESDAY: Sarasota County School Board leave the courthouse, in the 20th Judicial ence, as well as the and being an effective SATURDAY: Sarasota County Commission knowing how a lawyer SUNDAY: State Representative District 74 Circuit. Both are Florida fact that he currently listener. has to go and explain Early voting begins Aug. 13 Bar members in good serves as an elected “When I go around the ruling to the client,” standing. official. He was elected the state, practicing both state and federal law school and take the he said. John O. McGowan as the North Naples law for 25 years, clients criminal defense, family mindset that, ‘I want to A judge needs to be a has lived in Naples for Fire Commissioner in often tell me they don’t law, juvenile delinquen- be a judge. I’ve always people person, he said, the past 25 2006, where he helped understand cy and dependency wanted to be a judge,’ to treat both litigants years. He increase the level of the court cases, and some civil then you’re doing it for and attorneys with graduated service and reduced system, or litigation. the wrong reasons,” he respect and humility. from law response times for resi- what they For him, becoming said. “That’s not been “You work for the school at dents of Collier County do un- a judge was never a my career goal at all.” people, not the other Western to receive Fire and EMS derstand, life-long dream, but Chandler graduated way around,” he said. Michigan services. they think he chose to pursue the from law school at the While McGowan University “To be responsive it’s inef- position at the urging University of Denver holds endorsements in 1992. He to the public is the ficient,” from State Attorney MCGOWAN CHANDLER of his friends. He said in 2002 and moved to moved to number one thing I’ve he said. around two years ago, Florida in 2005, where Stephen Russell and the Florida shortly thereaf- learned as an elected “I think with my he was probably com- he worked at the State sheriffs of Lee, Hendry ter, starting his career official,” he said.