A three-judge panel of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeal affirmed the bribery conviction of businessman John “J.T.” Burnette in an opinion released Tuesday.
Burnette, a wealthy businessman and one-time prodigious political donor, was convicted in 2021 for his role in a pay-to-play scheme involving former Tallahassee Mayor and City Commissioner Scott Maddox and his aide, Paige Carter-Smith. He was sentenced to three years in federal prison after a lengthy trial.
Lawyers for Burnette asked the 11th Circuit to vacate his conviction and remand the case back to the District Court for a new trial or judgment of acquittal. They argued their case virtually before the appeals court in September.