Tampa staff
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
TAMPA — The Federal Public Defender's Office has been appointed to represent Cortnee Brantley on the appeal of the dismissal of the sole criminal charge against her.
Attorney Grady Irvin Jr., who had represented Brantley, said in a motion this week that he had not been retained for the appeal and that she could not afford further representation.
On Tuesday, U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Pizzo signed an order allowing Irvin to withdraw and appointed the public defender.
Brantley, 22, had faced a rarely used federal charge known as misprision of a felony. Prosecutors said she knew Dontae Morris was a felon in possession of a loaded gun but did not tell authorities on the night that police say Morris killed Tampa police officers David Curtis and Jeffrey Kocab.
U.S. District Judge James S. Moody Jr. dismissed the charge Oct. 28, saying evidence had not shown Brantley took a specific act to conceal that knowledge.