London, Ontario:Mayor given House Arrest for fraud.($1700)

June 16, 2014 Updated : June 16, 2014 | 7:56 am

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London Mayor Joe Fontana considers appeal of guilty verdict

By Scott Taylor Metro

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THE CANADIAN PRESS London Mayor Joe Fontana with his wife Vicky, walk from the London, Ont., courthouse after hearing the verdict in his fraud trial Friday June 13, 2014. Fontana has been found guilty on charges of fraud, forgery and breach of trust that date back to his time as a Liberal MP.

Gord Cudmore said he and client Joe Fontana “aren’t going to make any knee-jerk reactions,” but admitted that an appeal of Fontana’s guilty verdict is something they’re considering.
Fontana was found guilty of fraud, breach of trust and uttering a forged document Friday in London superior court.
The maximum penalty Justice Bruce Thomas could impose for breach of trust – the most serious of the charges – would be 14 years in prison.
Thomas wouldn’t dole out anything close to that to a public figure with no prior criminal record, but any jail time would end Fontana’s term as London’s mayor immediately.
That includes house arrest.
The first thing Fontana and Cudmore will do is hear the sentence July 15. Then a number of avenues will be explored.
Cudmore was asked about a contentious issue during the trial, when assistant Crown attorney Tim Zuber asked to re-examine former Marconi Club general manager Joe DiPietro to contradict the testimony of former club president Vince Trovato.
Cudmore argued against it, but was overruled by Thomas.
“That could be one,” Cudmore said of grounds for a possible appeal.
London defence lawyer – who’s also been a Crown attorney – Phil Millar said everyone has the right to appeal, but he’s doubtful it would be granted in Fontana’s case.
“I think the judge was very careful in how he came to his decision. He essentially did what we call make it appeal-proof,” he said. “Essentially, he said the mayor lied. It’s hard to appeal that.”
Millar said Cudmore can base an appeal on the DiPietro issue, but doesn’t believe that would stand up to scrutiny.
Cudmore would have 30 days after sentencing to appeal.

(COMMENT: Problem in ONTARIO that Top People avoid running for Puiblic Office. That this person should be Mayor of a major University City is a tragedy.  Kellogg  left London because of City mismanagement.. London declining. Many pawn shops and drug addicts.. Not suitable environment for Undergraduates. )