Page 12 - Florida Sentinel 11-13-15 Edition

Local
Judge Allows Cortnee Brantley To Remain Free Pending Motion
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
Earlier this week, a U. S. District judge decided to allow a Tampa woman who lost her appeal to remain free. She has previously been sentenced to serve 1 year and 1 day in fed- eral prison.
Ms. Cortnee Brantley
was the driver of the vehicle in which Dontae Morris was riding when it was stopped at 2 a.m., on June 29, 2010. Morris was captured after an intensive manhunt and charged with killing Tampa Police Officers Jeff Kocab and David Curtis, both 31 years of age. Morris fled the scene on foot. He was con- victed and given the death penalty.
After the shooting, Ms. Brantley, then 22, fled in her vehicle. The vehicle was later discovered in an apartment complex.
Ms. Brantley was con- victed of a rarely used federal crime known as misprision of a felony.
However, at the time of the conviction, Judge James Moody referred to the convic- tion as “by the thinnest of legal threads.”
Attorney Grady Irvin, Jr., is assigned as her court- appointed legal counsel.
Last month, a federal ap- pellate court consisting of 3 judges upheld the conviction.
After the ruling, Attorney Irvin filed a motion for the appeal to be heard by the full panel of appellate judges.
During the hearing this week, prosecutors outlined
CORTNEE BRANTLEY ... Allowed to remain free
several reasons, including missed appointments, as the reason she should not be al- lowed to remain free.
Court records show that Attorney Irvin outlined and explained four reasons why Ms. Brantley was not in compliance. The points argued were: mental health therapy, visits to her medical doctor, prescribed medication, and employment.
Attorney Irvin said Ms. Brantley, now 27, had missed appointments with her thera- pist because of verified me- chanical problems with her car. Although her probation officer offered her bus passes, she has moved and lives an ex- tended distance from the near- est bus stop.
He said she became ex- tremely depressed and her medical doctor changed her medication. The medication is delivered by FedEx. Although Ms. Brantley correctly re- ported her new address to both the probation officer and the medical doctor, she still had not received the medicine at the time she appeared in court. Therefore, she could not take medication that she had not
received.
And finally, Attorney
Irvin argued that while Ms. Brantley seeks active em- ployment, once her identity is revealed, she is terminated.
The most recent termina- tion came about when she was hired by an insurance com- pany and couldn’t attend one of her scheduled appointments because it was the second day of her employment.
She rescheduled the ap- pointment, but once the com- pany linked her name to the police shooting, she was termi- nated. Attorney Irvin said this pattern repeats itself in terms of her finding and main- taining gainful employment.
He further argued in court that while she has missed some appointments, she quickly rescheduled them.
He also said she had at- tended Hillsborough Commu- nity College for a year before the shooting took place. He said she is currently on a pay- ment plan to repay loans that had gone into default so that she can return to school.
Judge Moody issued Ms. Brantley a strong warning before agreeing to allow her to remain free.
DINAH
This week’s Spotlight feature, Dinah, is living proof that there are some gorgeous young women in this country. This young lady can’t wait to get her chance to be famous, and she’s willing to put in all the hard work to make that happen. Dinah doesn’t shy away from the camera, and she’s always open to legitimate opportuni- ties. Make sure you keep your eyes and ears open for this young lady, because she’s coming on strong. Con- gratulations to Dinah as this week’s Spotlight feature.
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