MACON, Ga. — A Macon Water Authority member is out of jail after he was held for contempt of court.
Friday, Desmond Brown appeared in court for a progress report hearing, and Judge Connie Williford let him out. Monday, Williford sent him to jail to be held in contempt after she said he failed to provide post-judgment documents, like bank statements, related to a 2019 lawsuit.
The lawsuit was filed by Brown's former business partner, Courtney Baldwin. Friday, Baldwin's attorney, Samuel Alderman, told the judge he was still missing several documents.
"There is an 18-wheel tractor trailer truck that is at Mr. Brown's Hillcrest property that he told me, informally at the last hearing, that it was leased. There is nothing regarding that," he told Williford.
Before deciding to release Brown, Williford asked if he had learned his lesson. She asked if he agreed that it would have been easier to provide the documents over the two years he had before he went to jail. He said yes.
Williford set strict deadlines for Brown to gather the documents. He has until Friday, March 18th at 5 p.m. to get the documents to Alderman. After that, he'll have a report back hearing at 9:30 a.m. March 24th.
Just around 4:20 p.m. Friday, Brown left the jail, and ran across the street into a waiting car.
This case isn't the only legal problem for Brown lately. The Macon Water Authority is investigating Brown's business practices while in office, and whether he violated state ethics laws. Next Thursday, the Authority could decide whether to ask Gov. Brian Kemp to remove Brown from office.