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Prosecution Rests Case In Corruption Trial Of Fmr. Homestead Mayor

HOMESTEAD (CBSMiami) -- Prosecutors rested their case on Friday in the corruption trial of former Homestead Mayor Steve Bateman.

Defense then asked the judge to issue directed verdicts of not guilty. The judge will rule later on the matter.

Bateman is on trial accused of improperly accepting money to act as a consultant for a company with projects in several cities, including Homestead.

Prosecutors said that in exchange, he used his power as mayor to help push through a pump station the company needed for its expansion. Defense attorneys said he acted appropriately and the pump station would have helped many other businesses in the city.

Gimenez On Stand Bateman Trial
Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez takes the stand at the corruption trial of former Homestead Mayor Steve Bateman on Wednesday Sept. 17, 2014. (Source: CBS4)

Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez testified as a witness for the state on Wednesday.

Gimenez told jurors about a meeting he had with Bateman in February 2013 where the former Homestead mayor pressed him to move forward with pump station project.

"I assumed he was there as Mayor of Homestead," Gimenez told the jury.  "This is not an unusual request by a mayor, wanting to speed up economic development in their area."

At the time of the meeting, Gimenez did not know Bateman was on the payroll of Community Health of South Florida as a $125 per hour consultant.

READ: Mayor Gimenez Testifies At Corruption Trial Of Suspended Homestead Mayor

Bateman signed into the meeting log with Mayor Gimenez, listing his title as Homestead Mayor, making no mention of his ties to the company.

"That is something that should have been said, if he was being paid and he was acting as a lobbyist," Gimenez told reporters in the courthouse hallway.  "He should have told us that he was there acting on behalf of a company or companies."

The defense attorney said Bateman made no mention of his relationship with Community Health in a deliberate effort to keep his "mayoral hat and consulting hats" separate.

The state has noted that Bateman used his city hall email account to communicate on Community Health business matters.  The defense said that amounts, at most, to an issue for the Commission on Ethics to deal with, not a criminal case.

Deputy Mayor Alina Hudak took the stand after Gimenez.

Bateman faces two felony counts of unlawful compensation, which could carry prison time if he is convicted.

It is unclear if Bateman will testify in his own defense.

His trial is expected to wrap up on Monday.

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