Trial date set for former sheriff and deputy
A trial date has been set in connection with indictments returned last year against then-Lawrence County Sheriff Jimmy Brown and one of his deputies. Both Brown and Lieutenant Adam Brewer were indicted by a grand jury on charges of official misconduct after District Attorney Brent Cooper requested an investigation into allegations of improper use of inmate labor.
The investigation was conducted through the Tennessee Comptroller’s office and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.Authorities reported on May 10th that the investigation was based on reports that, between 2015and 2017,
Brown allowed inmate labor use “by various county employees at their personal residences, or for personal business.” They reported that, “Brown used his position as Sheriff to circumvent the bond process for some arrested individuals, releasing them from jail without requiring them to pay for the secured bond as ordered by a judge.
The investigation also determined that Brewer falsified time sheets and misled investigators as to the accuracy of the reported hours worked at the Department.
”In May, a grand jury indicted Brown on two counts of official misconduct, one count of inmatelabor for personal gain, and one count of tampering with evidence.
They also indicted Brewer on one count of official misconduct. An additional indictment of using inmate labor for personal gain was issued against Brown in January.
During arraignment proceedings Tuesday morning in Lawrence County Circuit Court, Judge Stella Hargrove opted to set a trial date on the original indictments. She scheduled trail for both Brown and Brewer for March 7
