Former Miramar Commissioner Fitzroy Salesman was acquitted this afternoon by a Broward County jury of aggravated assault, a felony charge that would have meant a minimum three years in prison. He was convicted on the misdemeanor charge of improperly displaying a firearm.
Tastes bittersweet to me. As I said yesterday, following my visit to the trial, it was too hard to say beyond a reasonable doubt that Salesman did not have reason to fear violence and defend himself, even if he went to the lunatic extreme. On the other hand, Salesman's an inveterate mischief-maker who's flirted with prison time before. He no longer has city business to distract himself. Let's hope he doesn't let those idle hands do the devil's work.