JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — We’re now in day five of the public corruption and conspiracy trial against former councilmembers Katrina Brown and Reginald Brown.
If the trial were a football game, Katrina Brown argues it’s now the fourth quarter. Friday marked her chance to call witnesses to testify on her behalf.
The government argues the two transferred nearly $3 million in federal and city loans between each other and used the funds for personal use instead of the intended business.
The United States Small Business Administration Load was approved to go towards a manufacturing plant for Katrina Brown’s Family business.
The focus of Katrina Brown’s witnesses argued that her family barbeque business did produce a sauce. One witness argued Katrina Brown running for city council during that the same time actually hurt her family business instead of help as the government argued.
Katrina Brown’s first witness was Joe Whitaker, an economic development professional with the city of Jacksonville.
Katrina Brown originally stated that the former Chief Administration Officer for the city of Jacksonville was set to be her first witness. She later decided she was not going to call Mousa to the stand. A reason was not given.
Whitaker testified that is was not uncommon for small businesses to fail to meet job requirements and Katrina’s run for council diverted time away from her family business, instead of a springboard for her to run at council as the government argued.
During the government’s cross-examination aside from family, Whitaker said no other jobs were created under the agreement with her company.
Her next witness Derek Lott testified that sauce was being created from her warehouse and placed on end caps throughout 100 Winn-Dixie stores starting in 2015, but product slowly declined toward 2016.
Lott also testified he too had visited the warehouse, but only noticed four people in the warehouse including Katrina brown and two members of her family, during the government’s cross-examination.
“Thirty days to prepare, you’ve just got to keep working,” Katrina Brown said, following court Friday.
Katrina Brown told reporters outside the courtroom that she plans to work all day and night throughout the weekend as she heads into day six of the trial. She told reporters that she expects to call her father Jerome Brown to the stand and that he will have a different perspective of what happened.
“Joe Whitaker talked about how the foundation worked with applying for the city funds,” Katrina Brown said. "Unfortunately when you’re an elected official people think that you get favors and he was able to explain that we went through the whole process as anyone else."
Court is expected to resume Monday at 9 a.m. and Reggie Brown may take the stand.
Friday court sketches
For a full recap of the trial so far, click on one of the links below.
- RECAP OF DAY 1: Katrina Brown gives opening statement in her own federal corruption trial
- RECAP OF DAY 2: Reggie, Katrina Brown arrive at the Federal Courthouse for second day of trial
- RECAP OF DAY 3: After a short day Tuesday, trial resumes for Katrina, Reginald Brown
- RECAP OF DAY 4: FBI agents talk bank withdrawals, deposits in case against Katrina Brown, Reginald Brown
DAY FIVE HIGHLIGHTS
