When former Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet appears in court on Nov. 8, one day after the Palm Springs City Council election, he will be represented by one of the best in the business.
The charismatic former mayor is accused of accepting bribes from developers among other charges. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Two City Council candidates – Judy Deertrack and Julian Stone – are taking credit for exposing Pougnet’s alleged crimes. Members of the media and law enforcement officials are also claiming credit. It’s a free-for-all.
“My primary work was the establishment of a data file that went to the FBI, in connection with a research partner, Robert Stone, and our work resulted in the FBI indictments,” Deertrack told Uken Report in an interview for the City Council race.
In a similar interview, Robert Julian Stone said, “After many months of work, Judy Deertrack and I built a case that suggested corruption at City Hall. We brought that case to the Public Corruption Task force on April 10, 2015 and it forms the basis of the 31 felony counts pending against our former Mayor and two local developers.”
Meantime, the father of two young children stands accused of serious crimes.
So, who has his back in the high-profile case?
The man is Malcolm Segal, a Sacramento-based heavyweight attorney whose focus is defending businesses and individuals in white collar criminal investigations.
For more than 20 years, Segal has been listed in the national publication Best Lawyers in America.
With more than 30 years’ experience, Segal has represented international, regional and local companies, as well as professionals in medicine, the law, real estate, and agribusiness.
