Former Boynton Beach Mayor Pleads Not Guilty

A former Boynton Beach mayor, who was suspended from office in January by Governor Rick Scott, pleaded not guilty to a fourth charge Monday, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported.

Jose Rodriguez is accused of using his mayoral position to attempt to benefit himself, a criminal charge said. He will be the first person to be charged under the Palm Beach County Code of Ethics.

Attorney Jason Weiss, who was granted 10 days to review another charge against Rodriguez, called his client a ?guinea pig,? according to the newspaper.

"Being the guinea pig for the statute, we're going to need to look into it and see what needs to be challenged regarding that particular charge," Weiss was quoted as saying by the Sun Sentinel.

The newest charge against Rodriguez was filed Thursday by the Palm Beach County State Attorney?s Office. Rodriguez also faces charges of accepting unlawful compensations for official behavior as mayor, resisting arrest without violence and solicitation to commit unlawful disclosure of confidential information, the Sun Sentinel reported.

Click here to read a story about three officers charged with falsifying a police report.

According to an arrest report, Rodriguez?s wife, Sarah Marquez, contacted Boynton Beach Police Chief Matthew Immler in August and said she feared for her safety and the safety of Rodriguez?s stepdaughter.

In an interview, Immler said Rodriguez called him twice to ask about the investigation and to ask why police were contacting his wife, the newspaper said.

Interim City Manager Lori LaVerriere also said in an interview that Rodriguez told her to ask more questions of the police and that she was not doing her job.

"It is your job to protect the mayor and commission and I'm not feeling protected," LaVerriere quoted Rodriguez as telling her, according to the arrest report.

His trial is scheduled for July 27.

Assistant State Attorney Daniel Funk declined to comment to the Sun Sentinel Monday.

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