Former Sebastian City Council member Damien Gilliams begins serving 45-day jail term

SEBASTIAN − Former Sebastian City Council member Damien Gillams is currently incarcerated at the Indian River County Jail to serve out a 45-day sentence related to misdemeanor convictions of violating Florida’s Sunshine law.

Gilliams, 62, turned himself in to the jail Monday around 3 p.m., according to his attorney Jeffrey Garland.

“I called Damien, who was out of the area. Damien resolved to come back and turn himself in,” Garland said Tuesday. “He’s saddened by having to serve the time in jail, but there's worse things that can happen in life. So, he’ll do the time.”

Jail records show he’s scheduled to be released on July 8.

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Convicted: Damien Gilliams and Pam Parris free on appeal bonds

Circuit Judge Robert Meadows on Friday issued an order revoking a bond that had allowed Gilliams to remain free as he appealed his May 2021 convictions of three Sunshine Law violations and one count of perjury.

In April, a three-judge panel with the Fourth District Court of Appeal seated in West Palm Beach concluded that an Indian River County jury in May 2021 properly convicted Gilliams, of three Sunshine Law violations and found Pam Parris, 63, guilty of one Sunshine Law violation, court papers show.

In separate opinions, the appeals panel also threw out one perjury conviction against both Gilliams and Parris.

Parris, though, remains convicted of one count of perjury.

Garland noted the appeal succeeded in reducing Gilliams county jail term by 90 days.

“So instead of being 135 days, it will be 45 days,” he said.

After the Fourth District Court of Appeal on Friday finalized its April order by issuing a mandate, state prosecutors filed a motion seeking to revoke Gilliams’ bond and asked a judge to order him to begin serving his jail sentence.

Assistant State Attorney William Long said anytime a mandate is issued related to an appeal bond, the state files papers seeking to have a defendant taken into custody.

“We do this on any defendant, not just Gilliams,” Long said.  “Essentially, the (Fourth District Court of Appeal) has reviewed the case and said ... it stands and that it's legally sound. And that's what happened here.”

Garland on Monday filed a motion requesting the appeals court recall its mandate in Gilliams’ case in a bid to reinstate his bond while a new appeal is filed to the Florida Supreme Court.

Gilliams, he said “was entitled to a bond before and the only reason it was revoked was because of the mandate.

“If the mandate goes away,” Garland said, “I think the bond will be reinstated.”

Parris, meanwhile, remains free on an appeals bond, records show, as the Fourth District Court of Appeal has still not issued a mandate in her case.

The charges stemmed from a scheduled April 22, 2020, Sebastian City Council meeting that was canceled by the city manager. The same night, Gilliams, Parris and Vice Mayor Charles Mauti held their own clandestine meeting in City Hall.

On his three Sunshine Law violations, the jury found Gilliams knew the City Council did not provide reasonable notice of the meeting and that he knowingly attended a meeting that was not open to the public at all times. His perjury conviction, which is now vacated, was for lying to investigators.

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Parris’ conviction for violating the open-meetings law was on the same grounds; her two perjury convictions also related to statements she made to investigators.

Parris’ lawyer, Phil Reizenstein, of Miami, has filed papers asking the Fourth District Court of Appeal to delay issuing a mandate in her case as he appeals the order to the Florida Supreme Court.

“We are legitimately prosecuting this appeal in the Florida Supreme Court,” Reizenstein said Wednesday. “And because it's going to take more than 90 days, which is what her current sentence is, it would really, truly be an injustice, to throw her in jail while we are litigating this appeal.”

Gilliams too, has filed a notice of appeal to the Florida Supreme Court, records show.

An appellate brief in his case is due Monday, but Garland noted it’s up to the discretion of the justices whether to take up the appeal.

Melissa E. Holsman is the legal affairs reporter for TCPalm and Treasure Coast Newspapers and is writer and co-host of  Uncertain Terms, a true crime podcast. Reach her at  melissa.holsman@tcpalm.com.  If you are a subscriber, thank you. If not, become a subscriber to get the latest local news on the Treasure Coast.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Former Sebastian City Council member Damien Gilliams booked into jail