ORLANDO, Fla. – The state laid out its case Tuesday against former Eatonville Mayor Anthony Grant in opening statements at his voter-fraud trial.
Prosecutors reiterated that Grant, along with co-defendants Mia Nowells and James Randolph, coerced voters and forced them to send in absentee ballots, effectively "stealing" the 2015 mayoral election.
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Assistant State Attorney Bill Walsh said he planned to prove his case using five key witnesses, including a single mother who thought she'd lose her government home if she didn't vote for Grant and a woman whose name was used that hadn't lived in the area since 2011.
“It's hard to get somebody who's not interested in voting to actually drive to the polls to vote on Election Day," Walsh said. "It's not too hard when you bring the ballot to them and stand by them to have you vote in front of them and tell them how to vote."
The defense countered by saying that the charges were a conspiracy between federal investigators and former State Attorney Jeff Ashton in a bid to look "tough on crime" for his re-election.
Prosecutors called up several witnesses for testimony, including federal investigators and the town clerk.
The defense was brief during cross-examinations.