BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – A judge’s decision on Friday ruled former Brevard County Clerk of Courts and State Representative Mitch Needelman competent to stand trial for a second time for alleged bribery, conspiracy, bid tampering and official misconduct.
Needelman, 72, was found guilty of the same accusations in 2017 and faced 45 years in prison, but a judge threw out his case due to a juror’s misconduct before his sentencing.
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Needelman was granted release from jail on bond in 2018 and didn’t stand trial a second time — his attorney moved to have him declared incompetent to stand trial in 2021 due to memory issues.
State Attorney William Scheiner presented a recent neuropsychological evaluation report of Needelman during a hearing on Friday that found he had no significant mental issues, a news release said. Circuit Judge Melissa Souto, the same judge who ruled Needelman incompetent to stand trial in 2021, signed an order finding that Needelman “has been restored to competency.”
Needelman allegedly received contributions to his campaign from a software company in exchange for millions of dollars in contracts from the clerk’s office, the State Attorney’s Office said.
A political consultant, Matthew W. Dupree, allegedly made the arrangement. Dupree and the software company’s CEO, Rose M. Harr, were each convicted of being a principal to bribery in 2018 and sentenced to prison.
The full list of charges against Needelman:
- Bribery, a second-degree felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000
- Conspiracy to commit bribery, a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison and/or a $5,000 fine
- Bid tampering, a second-degree felony
- Entering a contract resulting from bid tampering, a second-degree felony
- Official misconduct, a third-degree felony
- Unlawful campaign contributions in excess of $500, a third-degree felony
Needelman did not attend Friday’s hearing. His case is being prosecuted in Seminole County to avoid conflicts of interest in Brevard County, officials said.
A status hearing on Needelman’s case is scheduled for July 9.