The jury trial of former Broward County Public Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie is set to begin Monday, June 9, at the Broward County Courthouse.
Runcie, who took the helm of the district in 2011, has pleaded not guilty to a perjury charge related to his testimony before a statewide grand jury investigating school safety following the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on February 14, 2018.
Perjury is classified as a third-degree felony in Florida and carries a potential sentence of up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine. Runcie was arrested by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) on April 22, 2021.
The first person of Caribbean descent to serve as Broward’s superintendent, Runcie held the role for a decade before stepping down in 2021. During his tenure, he was credited with raising graduation rates, improving schools across the district, and engaging minority communities. His efforts earned recognition at both state and national levels.
He also responded to concerns raised by Black families by implementing programs aimed at reducing the criminalization and disproportionate discipline of Black students.
However, Runcie faced mounting criticism after the Parkland shooting, in which Nikolas Cruz killed 17 people and wounded 17 others. Cruz is now serving multiple life sentences without parole. In the aftermath, many Parkland parents and students demanded reforms and called for Runcie’s resignation.
Support from the Caribbean community
Runcie, born into poverty in Jamaica and later a Harvard graduate, was the first in his family to attend college. Despite his critics, he has also received strong support—particularly from South Florida’s Black and Afro-Caribbean communities.
In the wake of his arrest, a group of Black elected officials, civil rights leaders, and business owners held a press conference at the Broward County school board headquarters to show public support. A rally in his favor was also organized.
The grand jury indicted Runcie in April 2021 based on testimony he gave during sessions in March and April of that year. The investigation was connected to former Broward Schools technology chief Tony Hunter, who had been accused of accepting benefits from a vendor involved in a questionable tech contract. Although a judge later dismissed Hunter’s case on jurisdictional grounds, the state has appealed that decision.
Prosecutors allege Runcie falsely stated that he had not prepared for his testimony. They point to communications with then-district procurement director Mary Coker two days before he testified, which they claim contradicts his sworn statements.
Legal journey
Broward Circuit Judge Martin Fein initially dismissed the indictment in 2021, siding with Runcie’s defense attorneys who argued the grand jury lacked jurisdiction since the alleged offense occurred in a single judicial circuit.
But in a significant legal turn, a three-judge panel from the 4th District Court of Appeal reversed that ruling last year. The court found that since the grand jury proceedings occurred virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic, with jurors participating from three judicial circuits, the alleged perjury did take place across multiple circuits—giving the statewide grand jury jurisdiction.
Runcie’s legal team includes attorneys Johnny L. McCray, Jr., Mike Dutko, and Jeremy Kroll. McCray has publicly maintained that the case is retaliatory.
Shortly after Runcie’s arrest, McCray stated, “I am confident when the dust settles, that he (Runcie) will be acquitted of this charge; Mr. Runcie is a man of high character.’’
