Andy Siegel may regret hanging onto one last criminal trial before starting in the Probate Division full time.
The multi-week, multiple co-defendant Statewide alleged diet pill (Phentermine) distribution prosecution has devolved into a variety of accusations by the plaintiffs, mostly regarding Siegel’s rulings against the State. It’s gotten to the point that pregnant lead prosecutor Cynthia Honick, who mid-trial refused sidebar conferences, states in a sworn affidavit that she is “concerned for her physical wellbeing and ultimate safety” because of the judge’s behavior.
From the forty-four page Motion To Disqualify:
Statewide’s full position is laid out in the entire motion and required affidavits, so be sure to click the link above to read everything. In the meantime, we have to point out that after literally decades of dealing with Siegel as both a criminal judge and as chief of the Criminal Division, we’d be hard pressed to find anyone but Honick and her colleagues who could claim to find good-humored, unflappable Andy as anything but mild-mannered and polite, including the people we spoke with who witnessed the alleged finger-wagging.
The trial is set to resume tomorrow, before a pre-scheduled rest of the week recess. We’re told the disqualification motion has been denied as legally insufficient, and without a Stay ordered, or a Mandate from the Fourth DCA granting the below pictured Petition also filed by Statewide, the trial will progress until the bitter end …