Pilati to stand trial in Florence Monday

By Staff
Melissa Cason
Franklin County Times
The state of Alabama will take its case against former Franklin County District Attorney John Pilati to court Monday morning.
Jill Ellis, spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office, said Friday a jury will be struck Monday morning and she expects the trial to begin immediately afterward.
Pilati faces five counts of deprivation of civil rights under color of law in connection with alleged illicit sexual contact between himself and five males.
Pilati was indicted in February on four counts. An additional count was added in May.
"It's been a long process," Pilati said Friday, "and I am certainly ready for it to be completed. I am optimistic."
Federal prosecutors say Pilati personally conducted body searches on the males while they were unclothed.
The incidents reportedly happened during a time period from spring 2001 through winter 2004 when Pilati served as district attorney.
Federal prosecutors contend the touching was fondling of a sexual nature.
Pilati and his defense team have denied these allegations from the beginning, claiming the stories were fabricated in retaliation for Pilati's prosecution of his accusers' court cases while serving as district attorney.
The case is set for jury trial before U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul W. Greene beginning at 8:30 a.m. in the U.S. Courthouse in Florence.
The maximum sentence for deprivation of civil rights is not more than one-year imprisonment and a $100,000 fine for each count.
Imprisonment for each count is to be served consecutively.