WANT TO BRING YOU BREAKING NEWS. >> BREAKING NEWS ALERT.
♪
>>MARY BAER: AND THAT BREAKING NEWS ALERT NEWS 4 JAX HAS LEARNED FORMER CONGRESSWOMAN
CORRINE BROWN HAS BEEN RELEASED
FROM PRISON A PRISON OFFICIAL
TELLING US THAT SHE WAS
RELEASED AT ONE
♪
25 PM.
♪ 25 PM. THE OFFICIAL TELLING NEWS 4 JAX
BROWN PUT A LOT OF POLITICAL
PRESSURE ON TRYING TO GET
RELEASED EARLY TOM.
>>TOM WILLS: NEWS 4 JAX HAD PREVIOUSLY REPORTED HER ATTORNEYS WERE ALREADY WORKING
TO GET HER OUT BECAUSE OF
CONCERNS ABOUT HER HEALTH AND
HER BEING AT RISK OF CATCHING
THE CORONAVIRUS WE ARE COVERING
THIS STORY FROM
SEVERAL ANGLES WE’RE GOING TO
BEGIN NOW WITH JOY PURDY WHO
JUST SPOKE WITH A FRIEND OF
FORMER CONGRESSWOMAN CORRINE
BROWN JOY.
>> YES TOM MARY THIS NEWS IS
TRAVELING LIKE
WILDFIRE NOW JUST MINUTES AGO
WE ACTUALLY SPOKE WITH TELLS
AND LARON SCHOOL
BAR, US ONE OF BROWN’S
SPIRITUAL ADVISORS THAT VIDEO
USE ALL RIGHT AT THE TOP OF
THE NEWSCAST, THE SKY FOR VIDEO
AND CORRINE REPORTED TO PRISON
IN JANUARY OF 2018.
HE WAS THE PERSON PHYSICALLY
WALKING HER TO THE
PRISON GATES. WELL WE SPOKE
WITH HIM A SHORT TIME AGO ABOUT
BROWN’S RELEASE.
>> WE’LL MISS
BROWN IS OH ABSOLUTELY BEING
THERE ARE DOING THIS OR
COVID-LIKE EFFECTIVE IT THAT WE
ALL FACE WITH A GREAT
CONCERN THOUGH HER AND HER
FAMILY AND OF COURSE ALL OF US
THAT SHE WAS UP THERE ARE IN
THE COLEMAN FACILITY.
DOING THIS TIME AND WERE THERE
RELIEVED, BUT SHE WAS ABLE TO
LEASE HOME FOR BETTER SAFETY
PROTECTION.
>> NOW IN JUST THE PAST HOUR. THIS IS WHAT TOM MENTIONED I SPOKE WITH
JOHN CROSSMAN HE’S A REAL
ESTATE MOGUL IN ORLANDO, YOU’RE
SEEING PHOTOS OF
HIM NOW HE’S ALSO CARRYING ON
HIS FATHER’S LEGACY AS A CIVIL
RIGHTS ACTIVIST CROSSMAN AS HIS FATHER DID STARTED SCHOLARSHIPS ARE PREDOMINANTLY BLACK
COLLEGES LIKE THOSE 2 COOKMAN
THAT’S HOW HE MET CORRINE BROWN
WHO SUPPORTED
HIS WORK. WELL THIS AFTERNOON
HE SAYS HE GOT A CALL FROM
BROWN’S FRIEND WHO HANDED THE
PHONE TO HER SO SHE COULD SPEAK
DIRECTLY WITH CROSSMAN
CROSSMAN SAYS BROWN WAS
GRATEFUL TO BE OUT OF PRISON
AND THAT SHE WOULD NOW BE
RESTING
WITH FAMILY.
>> CROSSMAN SAYS WHEN BROWN WAS
LEAVING A PRISON ALL THE OTHER
INMATES CHEERED
FOR HER. BROWN IS BECOMING YEAR
AND WANTS TO BE AN ADVOCATE FOR
THE OTHER FEMALE INMATES ARE
HOUSE
WITH HER. NOW I ASK ROSSMAN
YOU’RE LOOKING AT VIDEO OF A
SPEAKING BEFORE COVID-19 HIT
THIS WAS BACK
IN MARCH. I ASKED ROSSMAN TODAY
HOW LONG BROWN WOULD BE OUT OF
PRISON. HE DIDN’T KNOW THAT SO
I ALSO ASKED ABOUT HER HEALTH.
ONCE BROWN WENT
TO PRISON CROSSMAN VISITED HER
THERE THROUGH A PRISON MINISTRY
HE’S HAD FOR YEARS. HIS LAST
VISIT WITH HER WAS IN FEBRUARY.
HE SAID THAT HE
SAW HER SHE WAS VERY SEDENTARY
DIDN’T MOVE MUCH IT ISSUES WITH
THEIR KNEES HE MENTIONED HIGH
BLOOD PRESSURE DIABETES BUT HE
SAYS WHILE HE ASKED HER ABOUT
HER HEALTH DURING
THAT VISIT. SHE DIDN’T WANT TO
TALK ABOUT IT AND INSTEAD
INTRODUCE INTO EACH OF THE
OTHER FEMALE INMATES
TOLD HIM HE SAID THEIR STORIES
SAYING SHE’S EAGER TO HELP
CROSSMAN NOW WITH HIS PUSH FOR
PRISON REFORM,
ESPECIALLY NOW THAT SHE HAS
EXPERIENCED IT FROM THE INSIDE.
NOW THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
RELEASED GUIDELINES THAT TOOK
EFFECT YESTERDAY APRIL 21ST.
IT ALLOWS PRISONERS ELIGIBLE
FOR RELEASE TO HOME CONFINEMENT
AMID THE
CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK. THEY MUST
HAVE SERVED AT LEAST 50% OF
THEIR SENTENCE IS THE PLIGHT OF
FEDERAL PRISONS ACROSS THE
COUNTRY. BROWN HAS NOT QUITE
SERVED 50% OF HER SENTENCE, SHE
WENT TO PRISON IN JANUARY OF
2018 AS I MENTIONED
SHE WAS SCHEDULED TO BE AT
COLEMAN UNTIL THE YEAR 2022.
MARY.
>>MARY BAER: ALL RIGHT JOY.
THANK YOU NOW NEWS 4 JAX I TEAM
INVESTIGATOR LYNNSEY GARDNER
JOINS US AND LINDSAY YOU
COVERED CORRINE BROWN’S TRIAL
AND YOU’VE BEEN TALKING WITH
PEOPLE ABOUT TODAY’S
DEVELOPMENTS. WHAT ARE YOU
HEARING.
>> WELL MARY YES, NOT ONLY ARE
WE WORKING RESOURCES TRYING TO
GET CONFIRMED THAT WE NOW KNOW
TO BE SURE THAT SHE
WAS RELEASED. BUT ALSO WE ARE
HEARING A LOT
OF OUTRAGE FROM PEOPLE IN THE
COMMUNITY SAYING THAT THIS IS A
MISCARRIAGE OF JUSTICE I MEAN
REMEMBER JUST IT’S NOT PUBLICLY
ELECTED OFFICIAL
ACCUSED OF USING A SLUSH FUND
WAS CHILDREN’S CHARITY AND SHE
WAS CONVICTED AT CONSPIRACY
TAX EVASION RIGHT AND THAT
YOU KNOW AT TRIAL THAT WE
COVERED BACK IN 2017, BUT ONE
OF THE PERSPECTIVE
FOR PEOPLE. YOU’RE SENATORS ARE
ASKING THAT
YOUR PRESENCE SHOULD CONSIDER
THESE EARLY RELEASES AND THINGS
ARE THEY’RE CONSIDERING IN THIS
UNPRECEDENTED OUTBREAK OF THIS
COVID-19
IF YOU’RE LOOKING AT PEOPLE’S I
ATE THEIR PREEXISTING
HEALTH CONDITIONS. IF THEIR
CRIME WAS A
NONVIOLENT CRIME. OKAY, I’M
SURE THAT THE PERCENT OF THEIR
TIME NOT TO MENTION CHAT WITH
THE PERCENT
BENCHMARK BUT FEDERAL PRISONERS
TYPICALLY ONLY SERVE 85% AND
THEN THEY GO INTO OUR WHITE
HOUSE WHICH AGAIN WITH
COVID-19 THAT’S COMMUNAL LIVING
AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT’S
NOT POSSIBLE RIGHT NOW SO WE’RE
SEEING PEOPLE BEING RELEASED
OVER AND OVER AGAIN ALL ACROSS
THE COUNTRY NOT ONLY HERE IN
FLORIDA, NOT ONLY CORINNE BROWN
BUT THOUSANDS OF FEDERAL
PRISONERS HAVE BEEN RELEASED
JUST
THIS WEEK. SO HOW ARE THE VA
THE OVERCROWDING IN THESE
MONTHS THIS PANDEMICS OCCUR IN
ROUND WE CHECK ALL OF THOSE
BOXES SHEEN IN A HIGH-RISK
CATEGORY SHE HAS HIGH
PROTECTION SHE HAD DIABETES.
SHE HAD A NONVIOLENT OFFENDER
AND SHE HER RIGHT AT 50% OF THE
85%. PER CENT THERE SHE’S ARCHIE YEARS AND 3 MONTHS, BUT WE
ARE HEARING A LOT OF OUTRAGE AT
NUMBERS BACK
TO THAT THE CDC HAS PUT OUT A
GUIDELINES FOR
NURSING HOMES AS WELL AS
PRESENT THESE ARE COMMUNAL
LIVING ENVIRONMENT WHERE IT
TAKES ONE PERSON WHETHER THAT
BE A JAILER OR A NURSE POSSIBLY
IN A
NURSING HOME TO ONE
ASYMPTOMATIC CARRIER CLIMATE
AND WHAT THE CDC SAYS 1 ONE
PERSON IS IN THOSE TIGHT
COMMUNAL ORDERS. THE
CORONAVIRUS CAN SPREAD WITH
QUOTE RAPID TRANSMISSION THAT
IS THE CDC LANEWAYS THAT IS WHY
YOU SEE THAT YOUR PRISONS
TAKING THIS
UNPRECEDENTED THERE. LET A 1000
PEOPLE OUT ALL ACROSS THE
COUNTRY LIKE CURRY BROWN
TO TRY TO STOP AND SLOW THE
RAPID SPREAD OF THIS VIRUS.
I DO WANT TO MENTION THERE AS
WELL ONE A NEW STUDY FROM AN
AGENCY HERE IN WE
SAYING THAT THE AVERAGE PERSON
HOSPITAL HAS BEEN CORONAVIRUS
WE’LL HAVE A $30,000 HA ABOUT
30,000 THE AVERAGE THAT’S NOT
TO SAY THAT THAT WOULD HAVE
BEEN IN THE PRISON SYSTEM THAT
IS TRYING TO PUT THAT INTO
PERSPECTIVE FOR TAXPAYERS THAT
IS WHY THEY ARE LOOKING AT
THESE EARLY RELEASES THEY
CANNOT EH THESE MASSIVE
OUTBREAKS IN ALL THESE
HOSPITALIZATIONS PARTY,
CRITICALLY ILL CORONAVIRUS
BECAUSE AGAIN YOU’RE GONNA RUN
OUT OF PLACES TO PUT 8 PEOPLE
YOU’RE GOING TO
YOU KNOW AN INCREASE IN CASES
THAT RAPID TRANSMISSION SO JUST
LIKE NURSING HOMES ARE TRYING
TO ADJUST AS THE GOVERNOR’S
MANSION, YOU’RE LOOKING AT
FEDERAL AGENCIES THAT THERE ARE
PRISONS ALSO ADJUSTING IN REAL
TIME TO THIS PANDEMIC AND MAKE
A CASE BY CASE THIS IS NOT WHAT
WE
DON’T KNOW ISSUED A PROBATION
SHE ON HER AND I MAY HAVE ALL
THESE TERMS LAST. THESE ARE
QUESTIONS WE ARE STILL ASKING
AND WE’RE TRYING TO GET ANSWERS
FOR EVERYONE RIGHT MARY.
>>MARY BAER: YEAH WE DEFINITELY WANT TO GET THOSE ANSWERS AND WE WILL CONTINUE PURSUING THEM
LINDSAY GARDINER REPORTING TO
US, THANKS SO MUCH LINDSAY.
>>TOM WILLS: WE’RE TOLD THAT CORRINE BROWN WAS RELEASED FROM PRISON JUST BEFORE ONE 30 THIS
AFTERNOON THAT MEANS SHE HAS
NOW BEEN A FREE WOMAN FOR 4
HOURS. WE’RE TOLD THAT SHE IS
RETURNING TO HER HOMETOWN OF
JACKSONVILLE NEWS 4 JAX
REPORTER JIM PIGGOTT IS OUTSIDE
BROWN’S NORTH SIDE HOME.
HE IS JOINING US LIVE JIM.
>> YOU KNOW TOM LET ME SHOW YOU
WHAT’S HAPPENING OR ACTUALLY
WHAT’S NOT
HAPPENING HERE. THE GATE IS
LOCKED THERE’S NOBODY AT THE
HOUSE RIGHT NOW THIS IS IN
NORTH JACKSONVILLE IN THE LAKE
FOREST HILLS AREA A LITTLE BIT EARLIER ACTUALLY WHEN I RIDE UP HERE. WHEN WE FIRST LEARNED
ABOUT THIS THERE WAS A YARD
CREW OUT HERE,
CLEANING UP THE BUT THEY HAVE
SINCE LEFT LOCK THE GATE
NEIGHBORS HERE ARE THAT I’VE
TALKED TO SAID THAT THEY
WEREN’T AWARE THAT IF SHE WAS
COMING HERE THOUGH WE ALSO
UNDERSTAND IN TALKING TO HER
SPIRITUAL ADVISOR THAT SHE MAY
BE STAYING WITH FAMILY, YOU
KNOW HER DAUGHTER SHAN’T WELL
WE’RE NOT SURE IF HE’S GOING TO
SHE’S GOING TO BE STAYING WITH
HER OR NOT AT THIS POINT.
BUT AT HER HOUSE RIGHT NOW
WHICH IS JUST OFF THE
TROUT RIVER. THE YARD HAS BEEN
CLEANED UP IT THOUGH THAT
NOBODY IS HERE AND NOBODY IS
AWARE IF SHE’S COMING HERE, BUT
I IMAGINE OVER THE COURSE
OF TIME MAYBE LATER TONIGHT
POSSIBLY LATER ON AFTER SHE
WITH FAMILY SHOW AND UP HERE AT
THIS HOUSE BECAUSE THIS IS
WHERE SHE HAS BEEN FOR MANY
YEARS, I’VE TALKED ARE MANY
TIMES AT THIS PROPERTY BEFORE
AS WELL.
BUT UP THAT’S THE SITUATION
WE’RE STANDING BY WAITING TO
SEE IF KARIM BROWN SHOWS UP AT
HER HOME HERE IN NORTH