Former Rep. Corrine Brown hands out ice cream before court hearing

She's accused of using donations to phony charity One Door for Education for personal use.

Brown had her final pre-trial status hearing on Wednesday.

Brown would not get specific about what her testimony will entail, other than saying she wants the jury to hear the truth.

Brown handed out free ice cream and fliers for a prayer event down the street from the courthouse in Hemming Park shortly before her hearing on Wednesday.

Action News Jax asked Brown if she thought the gesture would encourage people to donate to her defense fund.

“Oh, I don’t know about that. I mean, this is just a thank you. But I hope they will, you know?” said Brown.

On her way into court, Brown accused the FBI of threatening elderly people while investigating her case.

“Elderly people in my district, they have gone to their homes and said, ‘If you don’t talk – make it easy on yourself,’” said Brown.

When Action News Jax asked Brown for names of people who were threatened, she responded, “Ask them.”

The FBI declined to comment on Brown’s accusations.

The government’s witnesses in the trial will include One Door for Education donors, Brown’s tax preparer, FBI and IRS agents, and a forensic accountant.

Brown’s attorney James Smith plans to call two elected officials as witnesses, but would not say who they are.

Brown's former chief of staff Ronnie Simmons pleaded guilty to two federal charges in February.

“It’s like I’ve lost a son,” said Simmons.

The judge instructed the attorneys involved in this case not to make any statements to the media once the trial begins.

Jury selection will begin on April 24.

The trial is scheduled to begin two days later and will likely last more than two weeks.

Cox Media Group