TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – An appeal by a former charter-school management company CEO convicted of racketeering and fraud could hinge on whether a circuit judge improperly prevented a witness from testifying. A three-judge panel of the 1st District Court of Appeal heard arguments Tuesday in an appeal by Marcus May, whose company Newpoint Education Partners operated 15 charter schools in six Florida counties. RELATED: Florida jury convicts Ohio man over charter school schemeTuesday’s hearing focused almost exclusively on arguments about whether May’s planned expert witness, Adam McGill, was improperly barred from testifying during the trial. William Ponall, an attorney for May, argued that the rejection of McGill’s testimony should result in a new trial for May. Also, he was accused of receiving kickbacks from a friend who sold goods to the schools.