FALL RIVER — Before a documentary series on the political rise and fall of Jasiel Correia II was released Monday, and before the former mayor, who is facing 24 federal charges, took to social media to promote the series, his defense attorney expressed concern to producers about the project coming out before his client’s trial.
Attorney Kevin Reddington filed in federal court a copy of a letter he sent to the company behind "Run This City," which started its 10-episode run this week on mobile app Quibi. The filing came at the request of U.S. District Court Judge Douglas Woodlock, who is overseeing the criminal case of Correia and Gen Andrade, Correia's former chief of staff and campaign manager.
During a pre-scheduled teleconference hearing for Correia and Andrade Monday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Hafer complained about the documentary, Correia’s online promotion of the series and a recent feature on the federally indicted politician in Boston Magazine. The information led Woodlock to question whether the publicity could taint the jury pool.
Reddington’s letter, dated March 9, went to Prince Vaughn III, vice president of Burbank, California-based Unrealistic Ideas. The production company is owned by actor and Boston native Mark Wahlberg.
While Reddington writes he “was very impressed by the fine work done in the documentary,” he asked for a favor.
“My concern with a release prior to our May 4, 2020 commencement of trial is the uptick of pre-trial publicity it will occasion," Reddington wrote in an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to delay the series. "Things have quieted down the last few months and I fear the fanning of the flames anew that will severely hamstring my goal to empanel an impartial jury."
In the same hearing Monday, Woodlock rescheduled the May 4 trial start date to Sept. 14 due to court closures brought about by the coronavirus pandemic.
Correia stands accused of defrauding investors in a smartphone app company before he was mayor, and of extorting hundreds of thousands of dollars from marijuana vendors – allegedly with assistance from Andrade – in exchange for his approval.
Email Jo C. Goode at jgoode@heraldnews.com.