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Prosecutors Rip Corrine Brown Sentencing Delay Request

Former congresswoman’s defense cites health evaluation in postponing Nov. 16 sentencing

Former U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown walks to the federal courthouse in Jacksonville, Florida, in May to testify in her fraud and corruption trial. (Bob Self/Florida Times-Union via AP file photo)
Former U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown walks to the federal courthouse in Jacksonville, Florida, in May to testify in her fraud and corruption trial. (Bob Self/Florida Times-Union via AP file photo)

Prosecutors in the corruption case against disgraced former Florida Democratic Rep. Corrine Brown on Wednesday picked apart her request for a delay in her sentencing hearing.

Earlier this week, Brown requested a delay in the hearing, which is scheduled for Nov. 16, due to health concerns. It was her second request for a delay in two weeks.

But Assistant U.S. Attorney Tysen Duva dismissed the Democrat’s request in written response, the Florida Times-Union reported.

“In sum, this motion is just like the last,” Duva wrote in response to the motion. “Brown simply does not wish to appear for sentencing. That is no reason for delay.”

Brown last week requested a delay in the sentencing hearing citing her being displaced from her home after Hurricane Irma.

Brown is requesting the date of her sentencing be moved to February.

Brown was convicted on 18 charges including fraud and filing false tax returns after she used a bogus charity for extravagant personal expenses.

Brown’s attorney said she is currently seeking medical evaluations but Duva said the defense had not specified what type.

The defense also wants Brown’s charity work be taken into account during her sentencing and that much of the documentation for that work was destroyed during Irma.

But prosecutors said Brown had 90 days to prepare for the sentencing hearing and submitted only a “bare bones” motion two weeks before the hearing, WOKV reported. 

They also said that information on her charity work should be available from other sources, and that she could subpoena people to testify about it in court.

And contrary to Brown’s defense saying it had conferred with prosecutors before filing their motion, Duva said they of it only when it was filed.

Prosecutors also said that Brown failed to inform the probation office that she had not completed her medical examinations.

Duva also dismissed the claim by Brown’s defense saying that more time was needed for a statistical analysis for comparable convictions. 

“The United States will be prepared to discuss those cases at the sentencing hearing,” Duva wrote. “None of those cases in the last two decades resulted in a sentence of probation, a sentence that Brown admittedly seeks.”

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