John Mitchell Secures Not Guilty Verdict for Contractor

In the first defeat for federal prosecutors who have secured convictions or guilty pleas for more than 50 elected officials, government workers and contractors in Cuyahoga county over the past three years, Michael McMichael was found not guilty on December 14 of all charges on a three-count indictment. The indictment charges included two conspiracy charges and a Hobbs Act violation.

In the case, the government alleged that McMichael conspired to bribe George Phillips-Olivier in order to secure a $26 million dollar contract on behalf of his employer. The case alleged that McMichael conspired to provide Phillips-Olivier with an air conditioning system, a home in Florida, tickets to sporting events, dinners, and other items in order to secure the contract. The government played numerous wiretapped communications between the alleged coconspirators, believing that this evidence supported its theory. McMichael denied these claims and, after a nine-day trial, was acquitted of the conspiracy counts. The Hobbs Act charge was dismissed by the judge. Thompson Hine LLP has represented McMichael in the case.

"We're very pleased with the jury's verdict," said John. R. Mitchell, a partner at the firm. "It's clear that they understood our position - that no bribes were ever paid by our client to secure any work." McMichael was also represented by Douglas E. Grover and Matthew David Ridings at the firm. The case is U.S. v. Phillips et al., case number 1:11-cr-00180, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio.