Dads pleads guilty in shaking death of 4-month-old son (Jackson, Mississippi)

Dad CHRISTOPHER BROWN, SR. has pleaded guilty in the shaking death of his 4-month-old son. The baby also had previous injuries: two broken bones in his legs, two broken fingers, and possibly broken ribs.

July 14, 2009


Father pleads to child abuse

Man had faced capital murder

Jimmie E. Gates
jgates@clarionledger.com

A Jackson man accused of shaking his 4-month-old son to death in 2007 has pleaded guilty to felonious child abuse.

Christopher Brown Sr., 28, will be sentenced July 27.

Brown had faced a capital murder charge in the July 10, 2007, death of Christopher Brown Jr.

On Monday, Brown entered a best-interest plea to felonious child abuse. Brown's attorney, Aafram Sellers, said the best-interest plea means his client agrees there is enough evidence to possibly convict him at trial, but he doesn't admit to the criminal act.

Sellers asked Hinds County Circuit Judge Tomie Green to have the Hinds County Probation Service prepare a presentencing report on Brown. A presentencing report helps a judge decide the appropriate sentence to impose on a defendant.

Also, Sellers said he wants to be able to call witnesses during Brown's sentencing hearing.

"There are unique circumstances involving this case," Sellers said, but didn't elaborate.

Assistant District Attorney Jamie McBride said the child died from shaken-baby syndrome and had previous injuries.

During Brown's preliminary hearing in 2007, a Jackson police detective testified that previous injuries on the child included two broken bones in his legs, two broken fingers and possibly broken ribs.

Detective Tyree Jones testified Brown told police he was playing with the baby by tossing him in the air the day of the fatal injuries.

"He said he dropped the baby," Jones testified.

The child's mother, Amanda Kersh, said she was in the shower when she heard the baby apparently hit the floor, according to Jones.

But Jones said an autopsy showed the baby died from shaken-baby syndrome.

Jones said he asked Brown whether he or the mother had ever handled the child roughly.

Brown replied, yes, saying he had shaken the child roughly once while playing with him, according to Jones.

Brown and Kersh didn't take the child to the doctor for the old injuries, which they said occurred when the child was about 2 months old, Jones testified.

Brown told police the old injuries were caused when the baby was about to crawl off a couch and he grabbed the baby by the legs to keep him from falling, according to Jones.

When asked why he didn't take the baby to the doctor at that time, Brown said "he was scared he was going to lose the baby," Jones testified.

Kersh, 24, of Jackson is charged with felony child neglect. She is scheduled to enter a plea Aug. 3 before Green.