Now it’s the defense’s turn in the lengthy civil trial of Miami City Commissioner Joe Carollo

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The defense team began calling witnesses on Monday in the case against Joe Carollo, the Miami City Commissioner, accused of using his power to target two business owners who supported his political opponents.

The first defense witness called was Asael “Ace” Marreo, the director of Miami’s building department. Marreo told jurors about an extensive list of violations found at properties owned by Bill Fuller and Martin Pinilla.

Marrero said that Fuller had been working to bring his Ball & Chain nightclub up to code for years and that many properties of Fuller’s have had significant work done without proper permits. He cited a pineapple stage, outside bar, interior bar, restrooms, deck, and storage where work was done without permits.

The Miami businessmen filed a lawsuit against the commissioner after they say he violated their first amendment rights, allegedly using code compliance and other city departments to harass them and their companies simply because they supported his political opponent in 2017.

The plantiffs’ attorneys brought into evidence a text Marreo sent, which read: “Just had a lengthy meeting with the manager and almost the entire city attorney office plus Adele talking about Bill Fuller. The manager wants us to revise and update our policies to be more stringent when it comes to work without a permit, clearly define unsafe conditions, and shut down all structures that don’t comply.”

Under cross-examination, Marreo said he received complaints about Fuller’s properties from both Miami City Manager Art Noriega’s office and Carollo’s staff.

Defense attorneys are trying to convince jurors this wasn’t targeted, and are instead attempting to focus on the number of violations the plaintiffs’ properties have had over the years.

But attorneys for Fuller and Pinilla maintain that increased scrutiny began after Carollo took office, and that there were even full city laws created to target them specifically.

The lawsuit asks for more than $2 and a half million from Carollo plus punitive damages. This is the beginning of the sixth week of the trial and it will likely take at least the rest of this week and continue into next week.