JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A judge has granted former Congresswoman Corrine Brown a retrial in federal court. The ruling was made Monday afternoon.
Brown was previously convicted of fraud after soliciting hundreds of thousands of dollars to a sham charity and using the money for herself.
She was sentenced to five years in prison back in May 2017. But last year, she was released from prison because of COVID-19 concerns.
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Then in May 2021, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed Brown’s conviction.
On Monday, Brown seemed to be in good spirits as she walked into the courthouse to face a federal judge in her status conference hearing.
Action News Jax asked her what she’d say to the taxpayers of Jacksonville, to which she responded, “God is good.”
Action News Jax’s cameras were not allowed in the courtroom, but we learned Brown will be retried starting in February 2022.
Brown’s attorney also told the judge he is no longer able to represent her, and he will help her find a new attorney. As part of that announcement, he asked for $42,000 in fines to be returned to her.
But the government’s defense team said that money had already been returned back to victims of the alleged crimes.
Brown addressed the judge, saying, “We’ve spent over a half-million dollars in this case — personally — and so I want to make sure that I can continue to fund... my defense.”
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The judge said he’s not prepared to make a decision on the money yet.
The judge also added that another judge will be taking over.
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