Prosecutors Contend That Video Shows Hornsby Taking Kickback

Jurors in the federal corruption trial of Andre J. Hornsby watched a video yesterday of the former Prince George's County schools chief seeming alternately relaxed and wary as he accepted a cash payment -- a kickback, prosecutors allege -- from an associate in a Bowie hotel room in the final days of 2004.

The video of an encounter in room 222 at a Comfort Inn shows Cynthia Joffrion placing bills on a table in front of Hornsby on Dec. 20, 2004. "Okay," she said, "if I give you 1,000 now that means I only owe you 144,000?"

"Whatever," Hornsby replied, picking up the cash and stuffing it in his shirt pocket.

The video, described previously in prosecution court filings but played publicly in the Greenbelt courtroom for the first time yesterday, is a centerpiece of the prosecution's case. Jurors also heard audio recordings of several telephone conversations between Hornsby and Joffrion, a longtime associate who was secretly cooperating with the FBI.

Hornsby, 54, is accused of steering to Joffrion a consulting contract to help the school system secure funds under a federal program known as E-Rate. Prosecutors allege that the agreement was to net Hornsby $145,000 in kickbacks.

During a conversation on June 2, 2005, several days after he resigned, Hornsby used coarse language as he appeared to reassure Joffrion that the two were not in legal jeopardy. "Where's the big check I wrote you, and the big check you wrote me," he said, according to a transcript. "It doesn't [bleeping] exist. We've never had that."

"Well, I've given you mon-"

"There's no check," Hornsby is quoted as saying.

Later, Joffrion suggested that, even under a polygraph, she could say she had never taken cash from Hornsby.

"I would never take a polygraph," the former schools chief replied, according to the transcript. "[Bleep] that."

Hornsby is also accused of arranging for the school system to purchase nearly $1 million in educational technology from a company where his then-girlfriend, Sienna Owens, worked as a sales representative. Prosecutors allege that Hornsby and Owens split a $20,000 commission she received because of the sale.

Owens pleaded guilty in November to a felony tax violation. She has been cooperating with prosecutors and is expected to receive a sentence of six months or less.