Ex-Bibb schools boss Dallemand was ‘common con man,’ lawyer in bribe case tells jury

Lawyers for two men on trial for allegedly bribing and conspiring to bribe Bibb County’s former superintendent of schools stood before jurors in federal court here Tuesday and, among other disparaging remarks, portrayed ex-schools’ boss Romain Dallemand as “a liar, a thief and a common con man.”

In their opening statements, the lawyers, who represent Cliffard Whitby, the former chairman of the Macon-Bibb County Industrial Authority, and Harold Knowles, a prominent north Florida attorney, set their sights on Dallemand because he is expected to be the government’s star witness against their clients.

The case centers on Dallemand’s 28-month tenure and nearly $500,000 in alleged financial kickbacks, some of which Whitby and Knowles are accused of funneling to Dallemand in exchange for his backing and support of projects and business dealings that favored Whitby and Knowles.

The accusations date back more than half a decade to when Dallemand became superintendent, when his administration, soon mired in controversy, made bold and often unpopular moves.

He parted ways with the school system in 2013, but after coming under the scrutiny of federal investigators probing his finances and actions as superintendent, he was allowed to plead guilty to tax crimes last year in exchange for his testimony against Knowles, Whitby and others.

Dallemand, who is expected to take the stand either Wednesday or Thursday, could be sent to prison for up to three years.

If convicted of all charges, Whitby and Knowles potentially face much lengthier prison stays.

Nicholas A. Lotito, one of Whitby’s lawyers, said payments Whitby made to Dallemand were “not made with any corrupt intent,” that they were “perfectly lawful” and not given as rewards.

Lotito used parts of his opening statement to tell jurors that Dallemand is an unreliable witness and that Dallemand changed his story numerous times when the authorities came calling.

“And these are not little inconsistencies. You’re gonna see that these are whoppers of inconsistencies,” Lotito said.

He added, “Romain Dallemand is a liar, a thief and a common con man — even though he was the former superintendent of the schools. From the two years that he spent in Macon, he left behind a trail of disappointment and deceit.”

Prosecutors are expected to play for jurors a recording that Dallemand made of an April 2017 meeting he had with Whitby at a Denny’s restaurant in south Georgia.

At the same meeting, prosecutors contend, Whitby gave Dallemand a bag containing $24,000 cash, an alleged bribe, which Dallemand then handed over to investigators with whom he was by then cooperating.

Some parts of what was said in the men’s conversation is in dispute, and jurors will be provided transcripts to read along.

Prosecutor Elizabeth S. Howard, an assistant U.S. attorney, told jurors in her opening statement, “There’s one thing that I’m gonna ask you to keep in mind, and that is what this case is all about, and that’s bribes.”

A lawyer for Knowles, Tallahassee attorney James P. “Jimmy” Judkins, said Knowles’ involvement with Dallemand arose, at least in part, from a project Knowles was working on to provide housing to people in earthquake-torn Haiti.

Judkins said Knowles and Dallemand, who is a native of Haiti, met at an education conference in Florida and struck up a relationship. Judkins said Dallemand claimed to own land in Haiti, which could help Knowles with his humanitarian endeavor there.

Knowles, Judkins said, “was easy pickings for Romain Dallemand.”

Prosecutors, however, allege that a construction company Knowles owns in Tallahassee later sold a $3.25-million software package to Bibb schools, a deal that allegedly earned Dallemand a $100,000 kickback.

Judkins, speaking generally to jurors about Knowles’ dealings with Dallemand, said Knowles didn’t bribe Dallemand.

“He wasn’t expecting any favors from Dallemand. ... He didn’t try to conceal or launder any money for Dallemand,” Judkins said.

Testimony in the case resumes at 8 a.m. Wednesday.

This story was originally published September 25, 2018 at 5:32 PM.