Prosecutors say judge did not err in conviction of Corrine Brown

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The U.S. Attorney's Office is defending the conviction of former Congresswoman Corrine Brown on 18 federal counts of fraud, tax evasion and conspiracy.

An appeal filed last month by Brown's attorneys addressed the issue of juror No. 13, who was removed during deliberations after telling others that he had prayed and believed the Holy Spirit had told him Brown was not guilty.

The defense attorney said the court abused its discretion when it removed and replaced the juror. In the government's response, filed Wednesday, prosecutors said the federal court did not err in dismissing the juror who was not following the court's instruction, did not understand that he was not following those instructions, and, if left on the jury, would likely continue to not follow those instructions.

DOCUMENT: U.S. Attorney's Office brief

Brown, 71, began her five-year sentence Jan. 29 at a minimum-security prison camp that is part of the Coleman Federal Correctional Complex in Central Florida.