Murder of Brandon Brown

Brandon Brown (June 13, 1986 – September 22, 2012[1]) was a college football athlete for the Tabor College Bluejays in Hillsboro, Kansas. Brown was a defensive lineman from Sacramento, California[2] and was found beaten and unresponsive on a street in nearby McPherson, Kansas early Sunday morning, September 16, 2012.[3] He later died from his injuries at a Wichita hospital on September 22.[4]

Brandon Larnell Brown
Born
Brandon Doris Brown

(1986-06-13)June 13, 1986
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
DiedSeptember 22, 2012(2012-09-22) (aged 26)
Wichita, Kansas, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
EducationTabor College
Cosumnes River College
Santa Ana College
Occupation(s)college football player and student
Known forTabor Bluejays athlete

Brown transferred to Tabor from a community college in California as a redshirt Junior for the team.[5][6]

Aftermath

On October 4, 2012, the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference and presidents of McPherson and Tabor agreed to cancel their game scheduled for October 20, 2012.[7] The game was cancelled in light of the ongoing investigation into the murder of Tabor football player Brandon Brown.[8] Two former players from the nearby McPherson College Bulldogs football team have been charged with the murder: Alton Franklin[9] and Dequinte Oshea Flournoy.[10] Both were on the football roster at McPherson for the previous year, and Franklin was listed as a sophomore linebacker at the beginning of the 2012 season. He was dismissed from the team before the incident and Flournoy was also no longer a member of the team.[11]

Michael Schneider, President of McPherson College said that McPherson and Tabor colleges do not have a rivalry that would account for what happened.[12]

The murder garnered nationwide coverage, including ESPN, Sports Illustrated, The Huffington Post, USA Today, and Fox Sports.[2][3][7][9][12] The Church of the Brethren also carried information to its church and schools nationwide.[13] Both colleges were founded by the Church of the Brethren.[14]

Preliminary hearing

Investigation of the crime was handled in cooperation by the McPherson Police Department, the McPherson County Sheriff's Office, and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.[15]

After a preliminary hearing on January 31, 2013, the suspects Franklin and Flournoy were bound over for trial on charges of being accessories to second-degree murder.[16]

The McPherson County Medical Examiner testified that Brown's blood alcohol level was .30, well above the legal limit in the state of Kansas. Attorneys for the defense argued that their actions were self-defense, saying "The defendants were using force to try to remove them from the premises." David Harger, Franklin's attorney continued, "Those people were armed. They then, as we know from police, stabbed the door with a knife."

Both Franklin and Flournoy entered a plea of not guilty.[17]

Trial

On Tuesday April 2, 2013 DeQuinte Flournoy, 20, entered a plea of no contest to a lesser charge of aggravated battery. This allowed him to avoid a trial and he is expected to testify against his co-defendant Alton Franklin at his trial in the following week.[18] On June 4, 2013, he received a sentence of 2 years probation.[19]

Alton Franklin faced trial on charges of murder and manslaughter. Two witnesses, testified they saw Franklin hit Brown. While Flournoy testified that he did hit Brown for safety reasons he did not see anybody else hit Brown. The defense argued that there was no evidence that Franklin had struck anyone. The jury found Franklin not guilty and he was released from jail.[20][21]

See also

References
  1. Dávila, Robert D. (October 3, 2012). "Obituary: Services planned for ex-Sacramentan Brandon Brown, who played college football in Kansas". Sacramento Bee. Archived from the original on November 10, 2012. Retrieved October 12, 2012.
  2. Potts, Rolf (December 4, 2012). "Murder of football player in Kansas shakes town, raises questions". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved December 7, 2012.
  3. "Charges in death of football player". Fox Sports. September 24, 2012. Retrieved October 13, 2012.
  4. "Tabor, McPherson cancel game after player's death". Topeka Capital-Journal. October 4, 2012. Retrieved October 12, 2012.
  5. "Ex-player charged in Kansas football player's death". Claremore Progress. September 25, 2012. Retrieved October 12, 2012.
  6. "Family mourns, waits for answers in football player's death". ABC News 10 Sacramento. September 26, 2012. Retrieved February 17, 2013.
  7. Martin, Jeffrey (November 30, 2012). "Two small Kansas schools grieve player's death". USA Today. Retrieved December 7, 2012.
  8. Adame, Tony (October 4, 2012). "Tabor, McPherson cancel football game after player death". Wichita Eagle. Archived from the original on October 6, 2012. Retrieved October 12, 2012.
  9. "Alton Franklin charged". ESPN. September 25, 2012. Retrieved October 12, 2012.
  10. "Second man charged in player death". ESPN. September 27, 2012. Retrieved October 12, 2012.
  11. Huber, Tim (October 1, 2012). "Tabor student fatally beaten in nearby town". Mennonite World Review. Archived from the original on November 30, 2012. Retrieved February 4, 2013.
  12. "2nd man charged in death of Tabor football player". Huffington Post. September 27, 2012. Retrieved February 11, 2013.
  13. "Newsline Special: Request for prayer for college communities". Church of the Brethren. Retrieved February 17, 2013.
  14. Faber, Connie (September 25, 2012). "TC Student Dies From Injuries; Arrest Made". United States Mennonite Brethren. Archived from the original on September 28, 2012. Retrieved February 17, 2013.
  15. "Tabor College player dies week after being beaten". Washington Examiner. September 23, 2012. Archived from the original on October 31, 2012. Retrieved February 11, 2013.
  16. "Men To Face Trial In Death of Tabor College Football Player". Junction City Post. January 31, 2013. Archived from the original on June 16, 2013. Retrieved February 4, 2013.
  17. Pedraza, Pilar (January 31, 2013). "Men bound over for trial in Tabor College football player's death". KWCH TV-12 Hutchinson-Wichita. Archived from the original on April 11, 2013. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  18. "McPherson College Player ... April 3 2003". cjonline.com. Retrieved 13 August 2013.
  19. "Defendant in death sentenced to probation 4 June 3013". McPherson Sentinel. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  20. "Alton Franklin found not guilty 9 April 2013". ksn.com. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  21. "Alton Franklin found not guilty 16 April 2013". kansas.com. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
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