Suspended Orlando City Commissioner Regina Hill appears in court ahead of trial

REPORTING IN OSCEOLA COUNTY, TONY ATKINS WESH 2 NEWS. THE ORLANDO CITY COMMISSIONER REMOVED FROM OFFICE AFTER SHE WAS ARRESTED, WAS IN COURT TODAY. REGINA HILL IS ACCUSED OF STEALING THE LIFE SAVINGS OF AN ELDERLY WOMAN. WESH 2’S BOB HAZEN WAS IN THE COURTROOM FOR TODAY’S HEARING WHERE HILL’S LAWYER SAID THAT HE WANTS TO HAVE THIS CASE WRAPPED UP BY THE END OF THE YEAR. REGINA HILL WAS HERE TODAY AND LET HER LAWYERS DO THE TALKING IN THE COURTROOM. THEY ASKED TO DELAY THE TRIAL, BUT ALSO SAID THEY WANT TO GET IT RESOLVED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. REGINA HILL WALKED OUT OF COURT WITH HER LAWYER AND SUPPORTERS, AND I ASKED HER IF SHE’S HOPING TO QUICKLY GET HER SEAT BACK ON ORLANDO CITY COUNCIL. ABSOLUTELY. AND BUT IT’S MORE THAN OFFICE HILL WAS IN ORLANDO CITY COMMISSIONER WHEN SHE WAS ARRESTED IN MARCH. FDLE ACCUSED HER OF GETTING POWER OF ATTORNEY OVER A 96 YEAR-OLD WOMAN AND THEN USING IT TO DRAIN HER BANK ACCOUNT ALLEGEDLY STEALING MORE THAN $100,000 THAT SHE THEN SPENT ON LUXURIES. THINGS LIKE HOTEL STAYS, RENTAL CARS AND A FACELIFT. THE GOVERNOR SUSPENDED HER. HILL HAS DENIED DOING ANYTHING WRONG. HER TRIAL WAS SET TO START IN ABOUT TWO WEEKS. AT A HEARING TODAY, HER LAWYER ASKED A JUDGE TO DELAY IT, BUT NOT BY MUCH. ONLY UNTIL SEPTEMBER, SAYING THEY HOPE TO HAVE THE TRIAL DONE THIS YEAR. LIKE YOU SAID IN THE COURT THAT YOU WANTED TO HAVE THE TRIAL BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR, WE ALL DO. WHY IS THAT? WE ALL WANT SPEEDY JUSTICE AND MISS HILL DESERVES IT. A QUICK TRIAL WOULD GIVE HILL A CHANCE TO GET HER JOB BACK. VOTERS IN A SPECIAL ELECTION REPLACED HER ON THE CITY COUNCIL, BUT IF SHE IS FOUND NOT GUILTY OR IF THE CASE IS DROPPED, SHE CAN RETAKE HER SEAT BEFORE HER TERM ENDS. IN JANUARY 2026. I WANT JUSTICE PREVAIL IN THE TRUTH TO BE KNOWN BY T

Suspended Orlando City Commissioner Regina Hill’s lawyer said Tuesday he’s hoping to have her criminal trial finished by the end of the year.Hill was in court for a pretrial hearing. Her trial had been scheduled to start on July 22, but her attorney asked for a two-month delay to help build her defense.“I’m going to ask the court to put this on the September pretrial (docket) so we can get it tried this year, if all goes well,” attorney John Notari told the judge.Judge Michael Kraynick agreed to set the trial period for late September.Hill was a city commissioner when she was arrested by Florida Department of Law Enforcement agents. They say she convinced a 96-year-old woman to grant her power of attorney, and then used that power to drain the victim’s bank account by more than $100,000. Hill has denied any wrongdoing.RELATED: Who is Regina Hill, the Orlando commissioner arrested for allegedly defrauding an older woman?Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended Hill soon after the arrest, and Orlando has filled her seat on the city council through a special election. She could retake the position though, if she is found not guilty or if the case is dropped before the end of her term, which runs through January 2026.After Tuesday’s hearing, Hill said she does want to quickly return to her council seat.“Absolutely, but it’s also more than the office,” Hill said. “I want justice to prevail and the truth to be known by the community.”

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. —

Suspended Orlando City Commissioner Regina Hill’s lawyer said Tuesday he’s hoping to have her criminal trial finished by the end of the year.

Hill was in court for a pretrial hearing. Her trial had been scheduled to start on July 22, but her attorney asked for a two-month delay to help build her defense.

“I’m going to ask the court to put this on the September pretrial (docket) so we can get it tried this year, if all goes well,” attorney John Notari told the judge.

Judge Michael Kraynick agreed to set the trial period for late September.

Hill was a city commissioner when she was arrested by Florida Department of Law Enforcement agents. They say she convinced a 96-year-old woman to grant her power of attorney, and then used that power to drain the victim’s bank account by more than $100,000. Hill has denied any wrongdoing.

Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended Hill soon after the arrest, and Orlando has filled her seat on the city council through a special election. She could retake the position though, if she is found not guilty or if the case is dropped before the end of her term, which runs through January 2026.

After Tuesday’s hearing, Hill said she does want to quickly return to her council seat.

“Absolutely, but it’s also more than the office,” Hill said. “I want justice to prevail and the truth to be known by the community.”

Suspended Orlando City Commissioner Regina Hill appears in court ahead of trial

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