Appeals court: Ex-US Rep Brown should get new trial
FILE- In this May 5, 2017 file photo, former U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown walks to the federal courthouse in Jacksonville, Fla. A federal appeals court ordered a new trial on Thursday, May 6, 2021 for former U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown, once a powerful Florida Democrat. She had served just over two years of a five-year sentence for fraud and other crimes related to a purported charity for poor students that prosecutors said she had used as a personal slush fund. (Bob Self/The Florida Times-Union via AP, File) May 06, 2021 - 6:44 PM
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - A federal appeals court ordered a new trial on Thursday for former U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown, once a powerful Florida Democrat.
By Gordon Byrd
May 7, 2021
TALLAHASSEE -(News Service of Florida) A divided federal appeals court Thursday overturned the conviction of former Florida Congresswoman Corrine Brown on fraud and tax charges, ruling that a juror was improperly removed from her trial because he said the “Holy Spirit” told him Brown was not guilty.
The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in a 7-4 decision, ordered a new trial for Brown, who was convicted in 2017 on 18 felony counts related to an alleged charity scam.
Brown’s appeal focused on whether U.S. District Judge Timothy Corrigan was justified in replacing the juror - known as Juror 13 - with an alternate because of the statement about the Holy Spirit.
By Gordon Byrd
May 7, 2021
TALLAHASSEE -(News Service of Florida) A divided federal appeals court Thursday overturned the conviction of former Florida Congresswoman Corrine Brown on fraud and tax charges, ruling that a juror was improperly removed from her trial because he said the “Holy Spirit” told him Brown was not guilty.
The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in a 7-4 decision, ordered a new trial for Brown, who was convicted in 2017 on 18 felony counts related to an alleged charity scam.
Brown’s appeal focused on whether U.S. District Judge Timothy Corrigan was justified in replacing the juror - known as Juror 13 - with an alternate because of the statement about the Holy Spirit.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) â A federal appeals court ordered a new trial on Thursday for former U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown, once a powerful Florida Democrat.
She had served just over two years of a five-year sentence for fraud and other crimes related to a purported charity for poor students that prosecutors said she had used as a personal slush fund.
The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the judge in Brown s case violated her Sixth Amendment right to a unanimous jury verdict. The panel voted 7-4 to vacate Brownâs 2017 convictions and sentence.
The appeals court decided that the judge in Brownâs case abused his discretion by removing a juror who expressed, after deliberations had begun, that the Holy Spirit told him that Brown was not guilty on all charges. The juror repeatedly assured the judge that he was following the jury instructions and basing his decision on the evidence, but the judge concluded that the jurorâs statements about receiving divine gu
By Gordon Byrd
May 7, 2021
TALLAHASSEE -(News Service of Florida) A divided federal appeals court Thursday overturned the conviction of former Florida Congresswoman Corrine Brown on fraud and tax charges, ruling that a juror was improperly removed from her trial because he said the “Holy Spirit” told him Brown was not guilty.
The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in a 7-4 decision, ordered a new trial for Brown, who was convicted in 2017 on 18 felony counts related to an alleged charity scam.
Brown’s appeal focused on whether U.S. District Judge Timothy Corrigan was justified in replacing the juror - known as Juror 13 - with an alternate because of the statement about the Holy Spirit.