Court dates set for delegates accused in slush fund case
WINDOW ROCK
While the special prosecutors are still hoping to reach settlements with the few remaining former officials accused of misusing discretionary funds, the Window Rock District Court has set court dates.
The first to be held, according to court records released last week by judicial branch spokeswoman Karen Francis, will be a bench trial for former Council Delegate Orlanda Smith-Hodge, who is accused of conspiracy to commit bribery, abuse of office and unauthorized compensation.
Mark Donatelli, the lead prosecutor in these cases, said if any of the cases go to trial, the prosecution will be calling more than 30 witnesses just to show how the conspiracy worked and the trial will take at least two months.
Smith-Hodge is the only one not to ask for a jury trial and if it is held, it will be presided over by Window Rock District Court Judge Carol Perry.
Smith-Hodge is one of the 77 former and current members of the Navajo Nation Council who have been accused of violating tribal law by conspiring with other delegates to give money from the discretionary fund to their family members.
Since the law prohibited direct grants, the delegates who were charged conspired with other delegates to give their family members grants in exchange for them doing the same for their family members.
Smith-Hodge represented Cornfields, Greasewood Springs, Wide Ruins and Klagetoh on the Council.
In May 2007, she allegedly received a payment of $850 to A.B. Smith-Hodge, who was only eight years old at the time. She later transferred the money into her own account, prosecutors say.
They allege she did this again in September 2007 for $500, October 2007 for $550, and in August 2008 for $209.
Highway 264,
I-40, WB @ Winslow