In Hartford, it's been over a year since former Mayor Eddie Perez was convicted on public corruption charges. He was sentenced to three years in jail but is free pending his lengthy appeal. Meanwhile, as WNPR's Jeff Cohen reports, the disgraced mayor has just won a payout from the city.
Perez had argued through his attorneys that he was owed money for back sick and vacation time. He also made the case that he was officially working as mayor while he defended himself in court.
The issue went to binding arbitration, and, this week, the decision came down -- the city owes the convicted mayor nearly $71,000 for his unused vacation and sick time.
But it doesn't owe him the $24,000 he says he earned while on trial. That's because the arbitrator, Joseph O'Brien, said that Perez was likely focused on the trial, and not work, while in court.
Mayor Pedro Segarra told the Hartford Courant that the case is now closed.
Meanwhile, Perez is still appealing his conviction. His attorneys have until later this month to file their next brief with the court.
For WNPR, I'm Jeff Cohen.
