Hedgecock’s Second Trial

The decision by Mayor Roger Hedgecock and his defense attorney, Oscar Goodman, not to present a defense in Hedgecock’s felony conspiracy and perjury trial is the kind of bold stroke that is consistent with the mayor’s personality.

Goodman stunned the court and observers by announcing that the defense would not put on a single witness in Hedgecock’s behalf.

Yet it was only one difference among many between Hedgecock’s first trial, which ended in a hung jury in February, and his second.

For starters, this trial, handled by different lead attorneys for both sides, will lack the drama of Hedgecock dueling from the witness stand with the prosecutor. More important in the larger scope of things is that significantly less attention has been given to the retrial.

As the first trial progressed late last year and in the early months of this year, several City Council members spoke openly of their desire to run for mayor should Hedgecock be convicted and forced from office. They raised money, talked with potential supporters and all but carried on campaigns for the job. There has been much less of that this time around, with council members perhaps thinking it unwise to appear over-anxious while there is a distinct possibility that Hedgecock will be in the job for three more years.

The other side of that coin, though, is that the public seems not to have shown much interest in the retrial, which provided no bombshells or surprise witnesses. The community may not be psychologically prepared for the fact that, if Hedgecock is convicted of a felony, he could be out of office in little more than a week and Deputy Mayor Bill Mitchell could be acting mayor. That would no doubt wake up the city and get people talking again about Hedgecock, who has been one of the most controversial and complex leaders this area has produced.