Harlingen City Commissioner Kori Marra is expected to go to trial in September.
Marra appeared before a judge on Thursday.
The Harlingen city commissioner is facing criminal charges for an alleged ethics violation.
Marra is accused of failing to file an affidavit explaining a possible conflict of interest involving her downtown business before a September 2010 city commission meeting.
The Harlingen city commissioner was in court on Thursday to ask for the case to be dismissed.
But the judge refused and set jury selection for September 6th.
A trial is expected to start that same day and last four days.
Marra declined to comment but her attorneys released the following statement:
Although, we are disappointed with the Court’s decision, we will continue to fiercely advocate on behalf of our client. We are confident that a jury will find our client not guilty and exonerate Ms. Marra of the groundless charges that have been filed against her .
Simply stated, based on the applicable law, we believe that no criminal offenses have been committed by our client.
Furthermore, it is disheartening that, days after we celebrate the Declaration of Independence, establishing a nation of laws, and providing for a government by the people, that we see an attempt to remove an elected official from her office by a cabal of politicians, who have hijacked the prosecutor’s office, in order to drive a person out of their office simply because they are on the other side of the local political spectrum.
We further believe that a jury will conclude that the appropriate method to change an elected official, but only when necessary, considering the fact that in this case Ms. Marra is well regarded by her constituents, is through the ballot box and not through the criminal justice system.
Thank You,
Valerie M. Garcia and Maria Linda Gonzalez
Attorneys for Kori Marra
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