Headed To Pensacola Beach? Traffic Changes Begin
May 13, 2017
Beginning Saturday, May 13 access into and exiting the Casino Beach parking lot along Via De Luna Drive and Fort Pickens Road will be modified.
The only entrance into the parking lot will now be at the existing access along Via De Luna Drive, located next to Sidelines Sports Bar & Restaurant and across the street from Flounder’s Chowder House. The only exit from the parking lot will be from the existing access along Fort Pickens Road near the public restrooms/Public Safety Building. The parking lot will function in a circular configuration in order to improve traffic movements within the lot.
Although the traffic flow will change starting Saturday, construction of a new traffic signal will not be completed until next week. In the meantime, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputies will direct traffic in the area during peak times. The new signal will be installed along Via De Luna Drive in order to effectively control traffic movements into the Casino Beach parking lot. The signal will provide a new westbound left turn into the lot, and it will include a pedestrian push button signal. The new traffic signal and push button signal will be coordinated with the existing traffic signal at the intersection of Via De Luna Drive and Fort Pickens Road.
Florida Gov’t Weekly Roundup: A Return Ticket?
May 13, 2017
Almost from the moment the gavel fell on the regular legislative session Monday night, there were already calls for a special session.
The regular session was grinding and filled with squabbling — and ended three days late — and some members wanted to do it all over again.
Only not really “all.” Most of the proposals considered by lawmakers this spring died during the final full week of the session; only the budget and related bills passed Monday. And the call for a special session was confined to medical marijuana, one of several must-pass bills during the regular session that ended up being not quite so must-pass.
As lawmakers sought consensus on whether to get together again in Tallahassee, something historic was happening halfway across North Florida: Corrine Brown, a former Democratic congresswoman who was a fixture on the Jacksonville political scene for decades, was found guilty in a federal corruption trial.
Meanwhile, some officials were trying to make sure they returned to Tallahassee in different roles, as campaign season in special elections and the 2018 regular election got underway.
YOU SAID GOODBYE, I SAID GOOD NIGHT
It wouldn’t be a real “sine die” without a little bit of drama, and Monday’s slightly delayed ending to the 2017 session was no exception.
The suspense this time surrounded a sprawling education package (HB 7069), a House priority that narrowly escaped death in the Senate. It passed on a 20-18 margin — a 19-19 tie would have killed it. Even Senate education budget chief David Simmons, the Altamonte Springs Republican whose job it was to present the bill to the Senate, voted against it.
That was a few hours after Senate Appropriations Chairman Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater, essentially apologized for letting a budget-related bill turn into a 278-page measure covering charter schools, teacher bonuses, sunscreen at school and much more.
“If there’s fault to be had for one of these bills that has gotten a little bit out of control, just understand that we won’t do this again under my watch on this committee,” Latvala said. “I promise you.”
But the approval of that bill, and a few others, cleared the way for lawmakers to approve a budget that weighs in at $82.4 billion and an overall spending package (when the other measures are included) of $83.1 billion for the year that begins July 1.
With Gov. Rick Scott openly talking about the possibility of vetoing the entire spending plan, a rarity in a state where the governor can strike individual items he doesn’t like, the budget was approved by veto-proof margins in the House and Senate.
“I think there’s a lot in the budget that the governor’s going to like,” said Senate President Joe Negron, R-Stuart.
There are also things Scott certainly won’t like — foremost among them the elimination of economic-development incentives and the paring back of tourism-marketing dollars. But even Democrats who seemed to relish the prospect of an intraparty GOP feud set off by a Scott veto admitted that the most likely result would be a quick override.
“I don’t think that it would change the outcome,” said House Minority Leader Janet Cruz, D-Tampa. “It would just send a message.”
But another reason for holding a special session seemed to be growing ever more likely. Lawmakers failed to pass legislation this year carrying out the medical-marijuana constitutional amendment approved by voters in November, leaving implementation to a state health agency that neither lawmakers nor those in the industry trust all that much.
By Thursday, Negron was asking members who were likely still unpacking their bags whether they had any ideas for how to break a logjam between the House and Senate on the pot legislation.
While the Senate favored a cap of up to 15 dispensaries for each operator during the session, the House — which originally backed an infinite number of retail outlets — ultimately settled on a limit of 100 per operator.
House Speaker Richard Corcoran predicted legislators will return to the Capitol and pass a comprehensive measure that eluded them during the two-month regular session.
“I believe there should be a special session, and there will be a special session,” said Corcoran, R-Land O’ Lakes. “I’m confident that we can get to a resolution.”
If Corcoran and Negron can agree to a deal, a special session would most likely take place soon, Negron indicated.
“In my general experience in the process, the longer it takes from the conclusion of a regular session to set a special session, the less likely it is that a special session will occur,” he said. “So there’s a certain window that exists to realistically be able to try to resolve these differences.”
DO NOT GO GENTLE
For years, it was almost impossible to imagine Jacksonville politics without Brown, a pugnacious congresswoman who fought off every attempt to challenge her base and defended a winding district that elected her to the U.S. House 12 times.
Her fortunes began unwinding two years ago, when state courts approved a redistricting map as part of a long-running legal battle that tore apart a district linking her twin power bases in Jacksonville and Orlando. That and a federal indictment for her role in a sham charity led to a primary defeat in 2016.
The fall continued Thursday, as a jury found Brown guilty on 18 of the 22 counts she faced after prosecutors said she and two associates used the One Door for Education-Amy Anderson Scholarship Fund at least in part to finance their own expenses while working with other people to solicit more than $800,000 for the charity.
“Former Congresswoman Corrine Brown violated the public trust, the honor of her position, and the integrity of the American system of government when she abused one of the most powerful positions in the nation for her own personal gain,” Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth Blanco said in a statement issued after the ruling.
But Brown’s attorney, James Smith, told reporters outside the Jacksonville courtroom that Brown would ask for a new trial. He declined to say on what grounds.
“She wants to let her supporters know that she is still strong and resolute,” Smith said. “She still maintains her innocence, and she thanks everyone for their prayers and their support.”
OFF TO THE RACES
The most immediate election in Florida’s future is one to replace former Sen. Frank Artiles, a Miami Republican whose political career imploded after he directed a racially charged outburst at a fellow senator in a members-only club near the Capitol. But contenders are already lining up for other races as well.
Rep. Jose Felix Diaz, a Republican who lives in unincorporated Miami-Dade, said Tuesday he intends to run for Artiles’ Senate District 40 seat, as did Democrat Annette Taddeo, who was her party’s unsuccessful candidate for lieutenant governor in 2014.
Both parties could have brutal primaries. Taddeo will face state Rep. Daisy Baez, a Coral Gables health-care executive who announced her candidacy for the seat last week.
On the GOP side, former Republican Sen. Alex Diaz de la Portilla also has opened a campaign account for the Artiles seat.
The Miami political world is also dealing with the retirement of Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a moderate Republican who has owned her district for decades. Democratic state Sen. Jose Javier Rodriguez, a Harvard-educated lawyer, said he intends to run for that seat when it comes up next year.
Rep. Jay Fant, R-Jacksonville, announced he would set his sights on a statewide office in 2018: attorney general. For now, he was sticking to time-honored Republican ideas.
“Big government leads to big problems,” said Fant, the first candidate to file paperwork to run to replace Pam Bondi, who is stepping down because of term limits.
Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam had already announced that he would run for governor in 2018 — and there hadn’t been much doubt in the past eight years that the state’s top post was Putnam’s ultimate goal.
But the fresh-from-Florida front-runner held his official kickoff Wednesday in Bartow, standing in front of a century-old county courthouse with orange crates on the steps and a huge state flag hanging from the building.
“We have to put Florida first so that we are more than a prize for a life well-lived someplace else,” Putnam said. “We can make Florida the launch pad for the American dream.”
By far the favorite, Putnam will still face contests in the race. Corcoran and Latvala are among the Republicans musing about a bid. And the Democratic side already has former Congresswoman Gwen Graham, Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum and Winter Park businessman Chris King lining up, with more potential candidates in the offing.
Tallahassee is a popular destination nowadays. Even if you just left.
STORY OF THE WEEK: Lawmakers (finally) approved a state budget and ended the 2017 legislative session.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “That wasn’t a Republican district. That was an Ileana district.”—Democratic strategist Steve Schale, on the race to replace retiring Republican Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.
by Brandon Larrabee, The News Service of Florida
Byrneville Elementary 5th Graders ‘On Trial’
May 13, 2017
Fifth grade students from Byrneville Elementary School had the opportunity to visit the M.C. Blanchard Judicial Center on Friday to learn about the judicial process.
They were able to meet with Judge Scott Duncan and see how trials work, learn the differences between criminal and civil and more. They also had the chance to see holding cells, a visiting judge’s chambers, meet with court reporters and learn how they type so fast and view the surveillance cameras.
Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Top Birmingham, 6-0 To Close Series
May 13, 2017
Pensacola Blue Wahoos right fielder Aristides Aquino smacked only three hits against the Birmingham Barons. Two left the ballpark and the other bounced into the right field corner for a triple.
The 22-year-old playing in his first year in Double-A crushed a three-run homer to left field in the fourth inning Friday to lead Pensacola to a, 6-0, victory over the Birmingham Barons in front of 4,567 at Blue Wahoos Stadium. Pensacola snapped a three-series losing streak, defeating Birmingham, 4-1.
Despite struggling in the Southern League at the plate, hitting just .164, the No. 6 prospect in the Cincinnati Reds farm system leads the Blue Wahoos with four home runs and is tied for first in RBIs with 14. Aquino hit a two-run blast on Thursday for homers in back-to-back games.
He also tripled into the right field corner in the eighth inning to drive in first baseman Eric Jagielo that put Pensacola ahead, 5-0.
“I’ve been working hard,” Aquino said. “I didn’t lose my confidence.”
The stats don’t matter to Aquino, he said.
“I don’t think about it,” the Dominican Republic prospect said. “I do what I can to help the team win.”
Pensacola manager Pat Kelly said new hitters often struggle when facing Southern League pitching, which he considers among the best in the minors. He enjoyed seeing the right-handed hitting Aquino triple to the opposite field in right field.
“Hitting the other way is a great sign,” Kelly said.
Aquino’s homer capped a four-run inning. The other run in the fourth scored when Jagielo ripped a line drive to right field that drove in third baseman Josh VanMeter with the first run of the game.
Jagielo, who went 1-3 with a walk, scored twice and drove in one run Friday, was 6-15 (.400) in the series against Birmingham and raised his average 38 points from .186 to .224.
The other hot bat against the Barons’ was left fielder Tyler Goeddel, who was 9-21 (.429) with a homer and three RBIs.
Meanwhile, Deck McGuire, the No. 11 pick in the first round by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2010, threw six scoreless innings. The 6-foot-6 righty allowed three hits, walked three and struck out seven to pick up his first win since April 20 against the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp.
McGuire, who has bounced around between five teams in six minor league seasons, improved to 2-2 with a 3.40 ERA.
Kelly pointed out that all three of McGuire’s walks in the game came with two outs.
“He pitched well but he was a little tentative with two outs,” Kelly said. “He had a tough game in Chattanooga. It’s nice to get a win in the next start.”
The Pensacola bullpen also blanked Birmingham. Reliever Ariel Hernandez threw two scoreless innings, giving up three hits, and Brennan Bernardino finished off the ninth inning, allowing just one hit, one walk and striking out two.
It was the Pensacola pitching staff’s fifth shutout of the season and dropped its Southern League-leading ERA to 2.62.
Pensacola improved to 19-16 and remain tied with the Biloxi Shuckers for first place in the South Division.
Rotary Academic All-Stars Named, Chief Justice Encourages Students To Follow God
May 12, 2017
The Atmore Rotary Club recognized 132 area high school students as Academic All-Stars Thursday night as the chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court encouraged the students to follow God.
The Academic All-Star program is open to students who attend Northview High School, Atmore Christian School, Escambia County High School or Escambia Academy. To be named an Academic All-Star, a student must have maintained at least a B average in every subject for each grading period of the school year, with at least one A for each grading period.
Those who have maintained this status from the 9th through the 12th grades, were honored as Four-Year Academic All-Stars (pictured top) and received a scholarship.
The Randolph B. Luttrell, Sr.Scholarship, valued at $2,000, was presented to Jade Adams of Escambia County High School. The Mary Joyner Grissett Memorial Scholarship, also for $2,000, was presented to Zian Young of Escambia County High School.
All total, more than $17,000 in scholarships were awarded by the Atmore Rotary Club Thursday night at the First Baptist Church of Atmore.
For a photo gallery, click here.
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Guest speaker for the event was Atmore native Lyn Stuart, who was appointed April 26 by Gov. Kay Ivey as chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court. Stuart was first elected as a member of the Alabama Supreme Court in 2000.
“I want you to know that you can do anything that you want to do with God’s help,” Stuart said as she related her personal story of growing up in Atmore to becoming chief justice. “It does not matter where you are from or who your family is, whether you are rich or poor….with God’s help you can do anything you want to do.”
“It is never too late to have goals or make plans,” she said.
“You need to ask God for help with whatever plans or goals you may have, and you need to allow Him to help you get through the tough times in life,” Stuart continued before reading from Philippians 4.
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me–put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you,” the Chief Justice read from the Bible.
“Have high visions; have high goals,” Stuart said. “I wish you the best, the very, very best…with God’s help, you can accomplish anything you can dream.”
For a photo gallery, click here.
Those honored as Atmore Rotary Club Academic All Stars were:
(Four-Year Academic All-Stars are denoted with asterisks)
ATMORE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
Ninth Grade
Lylia Albritton
Tenth Grade
Kyle Hostetler
Eleventh Grade
Kamryn Mothershed
Jasmina Stahly
Twelfth Grade
Grace Terry
Kia Zundel
ESCAMBIA ACADEMY
Ninth Grade
James Koons
Bryant Quimby
Anna Ruth Smith
Gaines Tanner
Tenth Grade
Jabe Dawe
Lexie Hollinger
Mary Thompson Lancaster
Raeven Ramer
Eleventh Grade
Jackson Breckenridge
Andrew Howell
Anna Kathryn Rolin
Austin Williams
Brandy Wooten
Twelfth Grade
Carson Barnett
Eli Godwin*
Paolo Gorme
Kainoa Gumapac
Kalynn Johnson
Bailey Lancaster *
Trae Lee
Abby Smith*
ESCAMBIA COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL (Atmore)
Ninth Grade
Shelby Bartley
Angel Bouler
Kayley Johnson
Trevon Lambert
Taliyah Leslie
Shelton McKenzie
Amber Phillips
Joshua Richardson
Nakieyah Robinson
Calvin Stots
James Wilson
Ladarious Wilson
Tenth Grade
Christiara Jones
Jasmine Rivers
Johnika Roberts
Olivia Simmons
Adonis Williams
Eleventh Grade
Lazarrian Boykin
Destiny Freemon
ShaDiamond Harris
Josaline Hollinger
Kristen Gore
Nylah Knight
Terriana McNeil
Zaria Smith
Adrienne Tedder
LaDasia Willis
Keyaira Wilson
Twelfth Grade
Jade Adams*
David Albert IV
Gabe Bennett
Jadajah Bright
Chille’ Ford*
Tydaiza Gamble
Tyranie Henderson *
DerikKidd *
Triston Knott
Hannah Martin
Melea McGhee
Justin Pearson *
Kettrick Reynolds
Wil’neshia Robinson
Ariel Whatley *
Derrion Williams
Ziah Young
NORTHVIEW HIGH SCHOOL
Ninth Grade
Addison Claire Albritton
William Milton Beach
Keaton Adam Brown
Lacie Elizabeth Carter
Karlee’ Nicole Criswell
Jackson Thomas Edwards
Ashlan Kaile Harigel
Anna Christine King
Abigayil O. Mascaro
Kayla Marie McKillion
Charleigh Elaine Parham
Kinzie Brooke Rackard
Savannah Nicole Roley
Marissa Denae Rothrock
Keaton Alan Solmonson
Savannah Grace Spence
Bailey Anna Van Pelt
Jace Benjamin Weber
Brianna Shay White
Tenth Grade
Austin Joshua Adams
Lexxi Olivia Baggett
Ashtyn Brooke Carnley
Logan Wade Chavers
Rebecca Nicole Dunn
Dalton Dewayne Hamilton
Seth Hammac Killam
Gabrielle Faith Kline
Tanner Brett Levins
Hannah Grace McGahan
Sara Delaney Reynolds
Valen Taylor Shelly
Madison Alyssa Sherouse
Eleventh Grade
Anna Belle Barberree
Dawson Christophe Brown
Jarrod Latrell Davison
Jason Riley Fischer
Austin Laine Ging
Orelbis Oscar Rodriguez
Fisher Logan Spence
Hunter Ashton Spence
Natasha Nykeria Walk€r
Destiny McKenna Watson
Madison Skye White
Tara Faith Windham
Twelfth Grade
Victoria Anne Amerson
Natalie Grace Barrow
Alyssa Marie Bell
Alyssa Brianna Borelli *
De’asia Ja’shay Fountain
Mallory Olivia Gibson
Emily Michelle Heard *
Adrian Daniel King
Brandon Edward Korinchak *
Shyla Nicole Pope
Zachary Chase Sheldon
Mitchell James Singleton *
Brianna Morgan Smith *
Jessica Lauren Stacey
David Conrad Weber *
Hadley Marie Woodfin *
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Cantonment Man Caught Selling Stolen Tires
May 12, 2017
A Cantonment man is facing charges after allegedly trying to sell stolen tires to an undercover investigator.
During a burglary at Dave Howell Tires on Pensacola Boulevard, 41 large truck tires valued at $13,000 were stolen after a fence was cut.
Escambia County Sheriff’s Office investigators received tips that 36-year old Johnny Antwan Lee was selling tires with distinctive markings like those stolen from the business. An undercover investigator met Lee at his home on Irene Lane in Cantonment where he sold three tires valued at $261 each for a total of $300. The tires were later positively identified as being stolen from Dave Howell Tires.
Lee was charged with felony dealing in stolen property. He remains in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $25,000
The burglary investigation is continuing. Anyone with any information about this this incident can call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Search Continues For Molino Killer, Silver Volvo
May 12, 2017
Sunday will mark two weeks since a Molino woman was found murdered on Gibson Road, and, so far, there have been no arrests .
Deputies believe Anna Louise Brown, also known as Anna Louise Brown Vega, was shot and killed by a person known to her. Witnesses near the scene said they heard gun shots in the area around 4:00 p.m. on April 30 and saw an early 2000’s silver four-door Volvo, like the one pictured, leaving the scene.
Brown was pronounced deceased at the scene; her body was discovered on or near the roadway.
Maj. Andrew Hobbs of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said the agency has not yet named a suspect in the case. But he said the department has been busy following up on the case and numerous tips that have been received from the public.
“We want anyone that thinks they know anything to call us, no matter how small they believe what they know is. The smallest piece of information might be the piece of the puzzle we need.”
Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Lawsuit Targets Prison System Over Hepatitis Care
May 12, 2017
Three inmates filed a class-action lawsuit Thursday alleging that the Florida Department of Corrections is failing to provide proper care to thousands of prisoners diagnosed with hepatitis C.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Tallahassee, contends in part that the prison system has not provided a relatively new type of drug — known as direct-acting antivirals — effective in treating the liver-damaging disease.
The lawsuit said the department, as of July 2016, knew of 4,790 inmates with chronic hepatitis C but that the actual number could be far higher.
“Despite the clear agreement in the medical community that all persons with chronic HCV (hepatitis C virus) should be treated with DAA (direct-acting antiviral) drugs, the FDC (Florida Department of Corrections) does not provide these lifesaving medications to FDC prisoners with HCV,” wrote lawyers for the Florida Justice Institute, which is representing the inmates. “Instead, defendant has a policy, custom, and practice of not providing DAA medications to prisoners with HCV, in contravention of the prevailing standard of care and in deliberate indifference to the serious medical needs of prisoners with HCV.”
Grand Jury Indicts 32 In Narcotics Investigation
May 12, 2017
An investigation by the Brewton Police Department Narcotics Division has led to 32 individuals being indicted for distribution of various controlled substances. Most of those arrested and those with outstanding warrants are from the Brewton or Flomaton areas.
Narcotics agents presented evidence to a recent Escambia County Grand Jury that secured indictments against the 32 suspects.
During the investigation controlled substances including heroin, crystal methamphetamine, crack/cocaine, spice, marijuana, hydrocodone and oxycodone were purchased from the suspects.
Agents also purchased two handguns from convicted felons and were able indict two registered sex offenders with the distribution and possession of controlled substances.
As of late Thursday, warrants are several suspects were still outstanding. They were being actively pursued by the Brewton Police Department and other area law enforcement agencies.
Those arrested so far include:
- Mary Wiggins Lane, 52, Brewton – distribution of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance / alprazolam
- Michael Ray Depew, 41, Flomaton – distribution of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance / methamphetamine
- Eric Scott Risley, 37, Brewton – distribution of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana in the first degree / marijuana
- Faith Nicole Lane, 18, Brewton – distribution of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana in the first degree / marijuana
- Karen Nelson, 47, Brewton – distribution of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana in the first degree / marijuana
- Sonja Ann Burch, 59, Brewton – distribution of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance / hydrocodone
- Tarik Dashunn Banks, 20, Brewton – distribution of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana in the first degree / marijuana
- Deborah Burkett Hall, 55, East Brewton – distribution of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance / methamphetamine
- Russell Lee Jackson, 70, Brewton – distribution of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance / oxycodone
- Baby Eldgerls Jackson, 72, Brewton – distribution of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance / diazepam, certain persons forbidden to possess a pistol
- Christopher Alex Ewing, 23, Brewton – distribution of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance / methamphetamine
- Jennifer Elliott, 33, Brewton – distribution of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance / crack-cocaine
- Heath Crook, 26, Brewton – distribution of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance / heroin
- Christopher Gabel, 24, Brewton – distribution of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance / Klonopin
Anyone with information is asked to call the Brewton Police Department at (251) 867-3212 or their local law enforcement agency.
Ex-Congresswoman Brown Convicted In Charity Scam
May 12, 2017
Former Democratic Congresswoman Corrine Brown was found guilty Thursday on 18 counts in a federal corruption trial, the latest chapter in a stunning fall for a longtime Jacksonville political institution.
Brown, who was defeated for re-election last year after 24 years in the U.S. House, was convicted on all but four counts for her part in a scheme that used a sham education charity to finance personal expenses and events. U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan could hold a sentencing hearing for Brown, 70, within 90 days.
“Former Congresswoman Corrine Brown violated the public trust, the honor of her position, and the integrity of the American system of government when she abused one of the most powerful positions in the nation for her own personal gain,” Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth Blanco said in a statement issued after the ruling. “She shamefully deprived needy children of hundreds of thousands of dollars that could have helped with their education and improved their opportunities for advancement, and she lied to the IRS and the American public about secret cash deposits into her personal bank accounts.”
Brown’s attorney, James Smith, told reporters outside the Jacksonville courtroom that Brown would ask for a new trial, though Smith declined to say on what grounds.
“She wants to let her supporters know that she is still strong and resolute,” Smith said. “She still maintains her innocence, and she thanks everyone for their prayers and their support.”
Smith pointed to the case of former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, whose conviction on corruption charges was later set aside by the U.S. Supreme Court because justices disagreed with the government’s interpretation of an “official action.”
“The American legal system has a number of levels, and this is just the first step,” Smith said.
The case against Brown, though, had less to do with what she did as a congresswoman than what she did while she was in office. Brown was found guilty of counts charging her with conspiracy, concealing material facts on required financial disclosure forms, filing false tax returns and related charges.
According to the government, Brown — along with former chief of staff Ronnie Simmons and Carla Wiley, both of whom pleaded guilty — used One Door for Education-Amy Anderson Scholarship Fund at least in part to finance their own expenses while working with other people to solicit more than $800,000 for the charity.
Congressman Al Lawson, who defeated Brown in a Democratic primary last year, was circumspect in a statement issued by his office following the verdict.
“My thoughts and prayers are with Rep. Brown, her family, and all those affected,” he said. “I believe Jacksonville is a better place, because of her three decades of public service.”
Brown left the courtroom quietly, with her head hanging slightly, a contrast to the flamboyant and often bombastic style she used for years in confrontations with political opponents and the media.
She was a verbal pugilist, comparing an attempt to redraw her district to slavery and rhetorically asking reporters who inquired about the criminal charges whether they were pedophiles, as a way to point out that the allegations weren’t yet proven.
But the 12-term, Jacksonville-based congresswoman was also a master of constituent services, using “Corrine Delivers” as a slogan to tout her ability to bring home projects and services to the voters who elected her. That ability helped her cultivate a political base that seemed unassailable.
She was also in many ways a historic figure, one of the first African-Americans elected to Congress from Florida since Reconstruction.
But ahead of the 2016 elections, her district was redrawn under a voter-approved ban on gerrymandering. The courts chose maps that swapped out one of her power bases in Orlando for parts of North Central and Northwest Florida, including a portion of Tallahassee, that barely knew her.
As Brown was fighting that change, the indictments were handed down, providing an even larger opening for Lawson, based in Tallahassee. She lost a three-way primary to Lawson by 8.6 points.
On Thursday, Smith said he was struck that some of the contributors to the charity would testify as part of the government’s case, only to embrace Brown after leaving the stand.
“People cannot and will not forget all the good that she’s done,” Smith said. “Let’s remember, no one’s life is a snapshot. Our lives are films, and you have to look at each and every frame. And Corrine Brown is not going to be defined by what happened here today in this courtroom. She still has plenty of days left on this earth.”
Pictured top: Florida Congressman Corrine Brown spoke in favor of an Amtrak return to the Gulf Coast during an Amtrak inspection train stop in Atmore last year. Pictured inset: Brown shakes the hand of a veteran at the Atmore Amtrak event after walking through a sword arch provided by the Northview High School NJROTC. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.