A felony perjury charge against former Broward County Public Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie was dropped Monday, ending a high-profile legal battle that began four years ago.
Runcie was arrested in 2021 after being accused of lying to a statewide grand jury that was investigating school safety failures and spending practices following the 2018 Parkland shooting. Prosecutors say Runcie falsely claimed he had not prepared for his testimony. They presented evidence that he spoke with then-district procurement director Mary Coker two days before testifying, which they argue contradicts his sworn statements.
Although Broward County Circuit Judge Martin Fein dismissed the charge in 2023, the 4th District Court of Appeal revived it last year. Runcie’s trial was set to begin Monday, with jury selection scheduled that morning.
However, prosecutors and Runcie’s defense reached a pretrial agreement, avoiding trial. Reporting from the Sun Sentinel explains the resolution: “Runcie agreed to acknowledge he made untrue statements but not acknowledge perjury. He also agreed not to violate the law for six months and to pay $4,741.52 for the costs of prosecution.”
Runcie, in a statement included in the agreement, said: “On April 1, 2021, I was placed under oath before the Twentieth Florida Statewide Grand Jury. While under oath I gave answers to questions. Although I did not intend to commit perjury before the Grand Jury, some of those answers were misleading, inaccurate, and therefore untrue.”
Richard Mantei, a prosecutor for the state, told the Sun Sentinel: “This is a disposition that’s often reached with low-level, third-degree felonies, which this one is.”
The legal fight centered on whether the grand jury had jurisdiction, as Judge Fein originally ruled it did not, arguing charges require crimes spanning multiple jurisdictions. The appellate court disagreed, citing Runcie’s testimony being broadcast to jurors in multiple counties via videoconference.
Mike Dutko, Runcie’s lawyer, told the Sun Sentinel outside the courtroom: “After the hearings before the court and some of the rulings the court made, both parties, the state and the defense, carefully assessed the situation, and that gave rise to some conversations into the night Thursday night and Friday morning toward a resolution. And the resolution ultimately is that while Mr. Runcie has acknowledged that some of the responses he gave may have been unclear, our position had this proceeded to trial was that some of the questions themselves were not specific and therefore unclear. And the parties have come to an agreement that there was perhaps a lack of clarity on both sides, and this resolution is the result of that.”
Robert Runcie was the first person of Caribbean descent to serve as Broward’s superintendent. He led the district for a decade before stepping down in 2021. His tenure included raising graduation rates, improving schools, and engaging minority communities, earning recognition at state and national levels. Born in poverty in Jamaica, Runcie was the first in his family to attend college, graduating from Harvard. Despite criticism, he retained strong support from South Florida’s Black and Afro-Caribbean communities.
The agreement requires Runcie to pay all court costs and not violate the law over the next six months, with the state retaining the option to refile charges if terms are breached.
