In Dallas, a federal jury is currently deliberating in the retrial of Ruel Hamilton, a 69-year-old developer accused of bribing two former city council members. This trial comes after a previous conviction was overturned by an appeals court due to improper jury instructions in 2022. If found guilty in this retrial, Hamilton faces a potential sentence of up to 25 years in prison.
Senior U.S. District Judge Barbara Lynn, who oversaw Hamilton’s initial trial in 2021, is presiding over the current proceedings. Prosecutors allege that Hamilton engaged in bribery from 2013 to 2015, during which he provided over $40,000 to Carolyn Davis, then chair of the Dallas City Council’s housing committee. Furthermore, they assert that in 2018, Hamilton issued a $7,000 personal check to Dwaine Caraway, a now-former councilman.
According to prosecutors, both Davis and Caraway accepted these funds, promising to assist Hamilton in securing political support for his affordable housing projects. In contrast, Hamilton’s defense team contends that the payments were legitimate consulting fees designed to aid the council members with their family medical expenses.
During Hamilton’s 2021 trial, a federal jury convicted him, leading to an eight-year prison sentence; however, this verdict was annulled by the appeals court on procedural grounds. In both trials, Dwaine Caraway has served as the government’s key witness. On June 3 of this year, he testified that while he received the $7,000 check from Hamilton, he did not view this as a bribe, but rather as assistance from a friend for medical bills.
Under rigorous interrogation by prosecutor Chad Meacham, Caraway showed reluctance to classify the money as a bribe, a sentiment he reiterated despite admitting to related crimes in the Dallas County Schools bus camera scandal for which he pleaded guilty years prior. This lack of acknowledgment of wrongdoing reportedly frustrated Judge Lynn, who noted Caraway’s credibility during previous testimonies when imposing a lighter sentence in 2021.
In the latest trial, Caraway even praised Hamilton’s dedication to revitalizing neglected areas of southern Dallas. Meanwhile, Carolyn Davis, who pleaded guilty in March 2019 to accepting bribes, tragically passed away in a car accident before she could testify in this case.
However, recorded conversations obtained by the FBI reveal that Davis boasted about financial gains and expressed confidence in evading detection. Evidence also indicates that she funneled the illicit payments through a nonprofit organization known as Hip Hop Government during her time on the council.
As the jury examines the evidence, the focus remains on the contentious definitions of bribes and support, putting Hamilton’s fate back in the balance.
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