Ex-Jacksonville City Council members face fraud sentencing hearing 13 mos. after being found guilty

The fraud sentencing hearing for former Jacksonville City Council members Katrina Brown and Reggie Brown has been delayed again, maybe for the last time, until Oct. 27.

U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard set the new date Monday, telling attorneys on both sides to reserve three days for the hearing where they’ll argue about the proper punishment for dozens of felonies a jury decided last year had been committed.

The hearing had been set for Sept. 14, but both prosecutors and the defense told the judge during a Zoom hearing last week that more time was needed to prepare sentencing memos and arrange safely for an extensive in-person hearing that will involve witnesses testifying about details of the case.

Howard told the attorneys Jacksonville’s federal court is returning to something like normal operations after months of pandemic delays, noting the court clerk’s office is scheduled to reopen to the public Tuesday.

Read more: https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/courts/2020/08/31/fraud-sentencing-hearing-set-ex-jacksonville-city-council-members/3451642001/