Former Hartford Mayor Eddie Perez will learn his punishment on this morning after his convictions on five corruption charges.
In June, a jury found Perez guilty of felony charges related to bribery, extortion, and fabricating evidence.
On Monday, prosecutors declined to say what sentence they will seek at the hearing. Legal experts expect Perez will face jail time. The question now: how much?
Defense attorneys Hubert Santos and Hope Seeley filed an 85-page document in Hartford Superior Court making their case for leniency. In the document, they quote from the hundreds of letters that have poured in on Perez's behalf. The letters were written by family members, community activists, as well as leaders in education, religion and business.
"There is no question in my mind that Eddie Perez was the most conscientious, dedicated and effective Mayor we have ever had," wrote Hernan LaFontaine, who is a former Hartford superintendent of schools and a former City Council president.
"There is no question in my mind that 24,000 Hartford students are far better off today because Eddie Perez went far above and beyond the job description," wrote Ted Carroll, the president of Leadership Greater Hartford.
Criminal defense attorney Gerald Klein, who is not affiliated with the Perez case, has watched the case closely. He believes Perez should receive a lighter sentence.
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"He resigns in disgrace, he's a convicted felon, a long jail sentence in my view is not going to do much to help the community," said Klein. "The judge is going to punish him, I would suspect, to deter others in a similar position of public trust from offending the citizenry by enriching themselves."
Perez was convicted of getting home renovations from city contractor Carlos Costa in exchange for keeping Costa on the troubled Park Street redevelopment project. He was also convicted of demanding developer Joseph Citino pay off political ally Abraham Giles for access to a city-owned parking lot. That deal fell through.
"You gotta pay for the crime. Whatever they give him I think will be fair," said Jose Rodriguez of Hartford.
"He used the money for personal matters and I don't think that's right," said Carmen Cuevas of Hartford.
The sentencing is scheduled for Tuesday morning at 10am.
