Courtnee Brantley Ordered To Begin Prison Sentence For Misprision Of Felony Conviction

U.S. Attorney’s Office, Middle District of Florida
29 December 2015

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tampa, Florida - U.S. District Judge James S. Moody, Jr. today ordered Courtnee Brantley to surrender to the custody of the United States Marshal or to the institution designated by the Bureau of Prisons on January 4, 2016 to begin serving the 12 months and one day sentence imposed in June 2013. The Court’s Order follows the December 17, 2015 affirmance of Brantley’s conviction and sentence for misprision of felony by the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, after a lengthy appeals process.

Brantley was found guilty of the crime by a federal jury on January 16, 2013, following a second trial in the case. The first trial resulted in a hung jury.

Brantley's charge and conviction resulted from her actions following the murders of Tampa Police Officers David Curtis and Jeffrey Kocab on June 29, 2010 by Dontae Morris. Brantley was operating a vehicle without a tag, resulting in Officer Curtis stopping the vehicle and the ensuing fatal encounter. The evidence at the trial revealed that Brantley left the scene of the shooting and concealed her vehicle. Brantley further communicated with Morris following the murders.

This case was investigated by the Tampa Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and other federal and local law enforcement agencies. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James C. Preston, Jr. The appeal was handled by Assistant United States Attorney David Rhodes, Chief of the Appellate Division, and Assistant United States Attorney Yvette Rhodes.