Corrine Brown's defense files second motion to delay sentencing

DOCUMENT: Attorney for Corrine Brown files second motion for sentencing delay

An attorney for former Rep. Corrine Brown filed a second motion to delay her sentence hearing less than a week after a federal judge denied the first request.

Brown's sentencing hearing date is set for Nov. 16 at 10 a.m.

The motion to continue sentencing and reconsider or rehear an order denying continuance was filed Tuesday.

The motion focuses on the pre-sentence report, which Brown's attorney says lacks information about Brown's health, charitable work and data about comparable sentences nationwide.

The report was put together by Brown’s Probation Officer and submitted on Oct.12, according to court records.

The defense first points out that the report recommends a significant and lengthy prison time, while the defense is seeking probation.

The motion also states that the report doesn't contain full information about Brown's medical, physical, mental and emotional condition, or her prior charitable service.

The defense claims the report fails to present sufficient information when considering Brown’s medical and physical condition. The motion says Brown is undergoing testing and evaluation and that “additional suspected medical conditions have not yet been fully diagnosed.”

The motion further says the anticipated findings will likely be “significant.” Brown’s mental and emotional condition is also not fully examined in the report, according to the motion. The defense says she is “undergoing evaluative treatment regarding the implications of certain abnormalities” in those areas.

The motion also reiterates the prior argument from the defense that damage Brown suffered from Hurricane Irma inhibits their ability to mount a defense.

Brown’s defense says documents that are “indispensable” to showing her history of charitable works and good service before her offenses were destroyed. They believe that history can be recreated through interviews but need more time to work through that.

The motion further says damage to Brown’s home, which the defense says FEMA has determined makes the home uninhabitable, is being mitigated, but Brown needs more time to see that through in order to “protect the investment in the property.”

Finally, the motion argues the report doesn’t have enough information about the statistical analysis and comparison of United States Sentencing Commission data on comparable sentences nationwide.

The defense argues they need more time to investigate and examine information they believe is missing so that they can be adequately prepared for sentencing.

The defense is asking the sentencing be continued to February.

Brown was convicted in May on 18 federal fraud related charges for soliciting hundreds of thousands of dollars for a bogus charity organization called One Door For Education.

She was convicted of using the money to fund personal expenses and lavish events. She was acquitted of four charges connected to this case.

Cox Media Group