By Tommy Witherspoon

Tribune-Herald staff writer

An assistant state attorney general who is prosecuting former Downtown Waco Inc. executive director Margaret Mills has asked a judge to restrict evidence about “any restitution” she paid before she was indicted for felony theft.

Mills, 67, was indicted on first-degree felony theft charges in November in the alleged theft of hundreds of thousands of dollars while serving as head of the downtown civic development organization.

Judge Matt Johnson of Waco’s 54th State District Court has scheduled a pretrial hearing in Mills’ case for 11 a.m. Friday. Her trial is set to begin Sept. 22.

Both Assistant Attorney General David S. Glickler and Mills’ attorney, Rick Bostwick, declined to discuss the case Monday. Glickler filed the pretrial motion Friday. Earlier in the week, he had a closed-door meeting with Mills’ attorneys in the judge’s office. Mills was not at the meeting, which also was attended by Bostwick’s co-counsel, Pat Beard.

THE MILLS FILE

• Jun. 14, 2009: Former Downtown Waco leader Margaret Mills could be released by Thanksgiving
• Nov. 22, 2008: Margaret Mills spends first night in Gatesville prison

THE PUNISHMENT

• Nov. 11, 2008: Margaret Mills escorted from Waco courtroom to begin 9-year sentence
• Nov. 10, 2008: Prison official describes what Margaret Mills' life might be like behind bars
• Nov. 8, 2008: Family friends pitch in to help Margaret Mills pay $100K restitution

THE TRIAL

• DAY 3 / Nov. 5, 2008: Judge seethes at attorneys as Margaret Mills plea deal is reached
• DAY 2 / Nov. 4, 2008: Margaret Mills' successor testifies she found Downtown Waco Inc.'s financial records 
• DAY 1 / Nov. 3, 2008: Jury selected in Margaret Mills theft punishment trial
• Nov. 2, 2008: Betraying public trust may factor in Margaret Mills' sentence
• Nov. 2, 2008: Bad economy could be bad news for Margaret Mills, jury experts say

THE PLEA

• Oct. 26, 2008: After Margaret Mills' guilty plea, question remains whether she can get an unbiased jury for her sentencing
• Oct. 25, 2008: Margaret Mills avoids possible life sentence in plea deal
• Oct. 25, 2008: Margaret Mills' plea deal has some wondering whether they will get paid back
• Oct. 24, 2008: Margaret Mills' attorneys to try again to move her trial from Waco

THE PRETRIAL MOTIONS

• Sept. 29, 2008: Defense files 2nd motion to move Margaret Mills trial from Waco
• Sept. 17, 2008: New court filing outlines theft allegations against Margaret Mills
• Sept. 3, 2008: Judge rules Mills should stand trial in Waco, sets Nov. 3 start date
• Sept. 2, 2008: Hearing expected to decide whether Margaret Mills trial moves from Waco
• Aug. 30, 2008: Federal tax lien placed on Margaret Mills' property
• Aug. 13, 2008: Prosecutor: Kick cameras out for Mills theft trial
• July 26, 2008: Margaret Mills' lawyers seek to bar courtroom cameras
• July 19, 2008: Mills' attorneys request change of venue for controversial trial
• July 15, 2008: Prosecutor files motion to restrict evidence in Margaret Mills case in advance of Friday's pre-trial hearing
• Feb. 2, 2008: Trial date set in Margaret Mills' theft case
• Jan. 24, 2008: Margaret Mills pretrial hearing scheduled
• Nov. 7, 2007: Margaret Mills indicted on 1st-degree felony theft charges

THE INVESTIGATION

• Oct. 3, 2007: DA's office dogged by inquiries in Margaret Mills case
• Aug. 10, 2007: Mills investigation in its final stages
• May 5, 2007: Waco police submit part of Mills investigation to DA
• April 10, 2007: County DA Segrest will recuse himself in Mills case
• April 8, 2007: Disbelief, desperation marked Downtown Waco's final months
• April 3, 2007: Did Mills get special treatment from justice system?
• April 3, 2007: Longtime civic leader arrested, bonded out peacefully
• April 2, 2007: Mills' hard-charging ways won success, created sparks
• April 1, 2007: Arrest warrant issued for Margaret Mills
• Feb. 23, 2007: Investigation wrapping up
• Dec. 17, 2006: Inquiry will continue into 2007

THE SCANDAL

• Nov. 4, 2006: Mills put money in own account on eve of retirement
• Nov. 2, 2006: "Several" subpoenas issued
• Nov. 1, 2006: $500,000 and counting: Questionable finances traced to 2000
• Oct. 28, 2006: Case could shake up courthouse
• Oct. 25, 2006: Downtown Waco office braces for closure
• Oct. 22, 2006: Who's minding the store at DTW?
• Oct. 15, 2006: No third-party audits for DTW Inc.
• Oct. 14, 2006: Ex-Downtown Waco director Mills target of investigation
• Oct. 11, 2006: Police investigating missing money
• Oct. 6, 2006: Missing funds at root of investigation
• Oct. 3, 2006: Downtown Waco Inc. loses city funds amid internal financial investigation

The attorneys also declined to discuss the nature of the meeting.

Glickler’s motion in limine also asks the judge to limit “any good character evidence” regarding Mills or her witnesses. Both points in Glickler’s motion pertain only to the guilt-innocence phase of the trial and seek to limit reference to those areas “without first having established the admissibility of such evidence outside the presence of the jury.”

That is the only pretrial motion filed by either side in the case as of Monday afternoon, but other motions could be filed before Friday’s hearing.

$70,000 in restitution

Downtown Waco’s board received a restitution check for $70,000 in September 2006 that was written on an account from Coke Mills’ former law firm. Coke Mills is Margaret Mills’ husband. She acknowledged at the time that she had taken some “liberties” with Downtown Waco Inc. accounts.

Margaret Mills, who remains free on bond, was charged in a 16-page, 116-paragraph indictment with stealing more than $200,000, the amount at which a theft case becomes a first-degree felony.

Glickler, who took over prosecution of the case when McLennan County District Attorney John Segrest recused his office, has said that Mills reportedly took about $511,000 from the nonprofit organization, which has since ceased operation.

Mills, since at least April 2003, is alleged to have taken checks from outside organizations on behalf of Downtown Waco Inc. and deposited those checks into her personal accounts or those she controlled.

The indictment alleges that Mills deposited as many as 116 checks into her personal accounts.

twitherspoon@wacotrib.com

757-5737