CLEVELAND -- Former Cuyahoga County Commissioner Jimmy Dimora has asked a federal judge to combine his separate racketeering and bribery trials into one.
The first trial for Dimora is scheduled for Jan. 4 in Akron.
His attorneys asked a judge on Wednesday to combine the cases into a single trial to be held later to allow more preparation time.
Dimora is a former county Democratic chairman in Cleveland. He's charged with taking bribes in return for steering county contracts and jobs. He has pleaded not guilty.
According to The Plain Dealer, a co-defendant in the second indictment wants that trial put off until next October to prepare.
Prosecutors haven't filed a response to the defense requests.
The Associated Press