A former bookkeeper for Brown Construction Company has been ordered by a Circuit Court jury to repay almost $1.65 million to her former employers.
The jury in the courtroom of Judge Marie Williams directed that Jewayn Rayburn make the payment, which includes interest.
The panel also returned a judgment of $1,297,594.14 in punitive damages.
Attorney Phil Lawrence had told the jury that Ms. Rayburn worked at the small company for 32 years and stole the money from 1999 to 2007.
He said it was then learned that she had been writing checks to herself and disguising it as payment to others.
He said brothers Bernard "B" Brown and Richard "Dickie" Brown had considered her "life family," then finally learned of the huge losses.
Attorney Whitney Durand told the jury it was inconceivable that Ms. Rayburn could have kept such large amounts to herself in such a small office.
He presented one check to Ms. Rayburn which he said was signed by Bernard Brown.
There was testimony about alleged loans Ms. Rayburn had made to the Browns from earnings on gambling trips. Attorney Lawrence said the brothers sometimes came up short because of all the money Ms. Rayburn was taking.
Attorney Durand said the company was very successful, making most of its money off developing several large tracts over the years.
The exact compensatory damage award including interest was $1,647,642.19.