State senator acquitted on 15 charges in federal theft case

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Court records show a Tennessee state senator charged with stealing $600,000 in federal grant money from a health care school she operated has been acquitted on 15 of 20 charges. Memphis news outlets report that U.S. District Court Judge Sheryl Lipman filed the order Sunday. Sen. Katrina Robinson was charged in July 2020 with wire fraud as well as theft and embezzlement involving government programs. The Memphis Democrat was accused of stealing federal grant money awarded to The Healthcare Institute. Defense attorneys argued on Friday that prosecutors didn’t prove their case and asked for acquittal on all counts. The trial was expected to continue Tuesday on the five remaining charges.