TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Gutsy Tampa Lawyer Machin Dies From Cancer At 50

ADVERTISEMENT

By CHRISTIAN M. WADE | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 9, 2008

Related Links

• Sign The Guestbook

  Manny Machin

TAMPA - Manny Machin, a well-known Tampa defense lawyer who had been a star witness in a local corruption trial in the 1990s, died Monday following a battle with cancer. He was 50.

Family and friends described Machin as a compassionate legal advocate who stood by his convictions.

"Manny was a real fighter," said lawyer Ralph Fernandez, a colleague. "He believed everyone was entitled to a defense and never backed down from challenges."

Machin was the key witness in a racketeering and extortion trial in the early 1990s against former colleague Charles Corces and Assistant State Attorney John S. Valenti. The pair were found guilty of conspiracy to extort $35,000 in exchange for a reduced sentence for a killer Machin was defending.

Born Dec. 6, 1957, in Havana, Cuba, Machin graduated from Jefferson High School in 1975 and received his undergraduate degree from Florida State University. He went on to get his law degree in 1981 from the University of Florida's School of Law.

He is survived by his wife of 27 years, Carina, his children, Janelle and Marcus, his parents, Manuel and Zenia, and his sister, Zenia.

The family will receive friends at Boza & Roel Funeral Home, 4730 N. Armenia Ave., today from 6 to 8 p.m. with a prayer service at 7 p.m. Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at the funeral home followed by a procession to Myrtle Hill Memorial Park.

Donations may be made in Machin's memory to the International Myeloma Foundation, 12650 Riverside Dr., Suite 206, North Hollywood CA 91607.

Reporter Christian Wade can be reached at (813) 259-7679.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT