March 15 court date set for man accused of beheading mother
Published:Monday | November 27, 2023 | 12:06 AMChristopher Thomas/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
THE ST JAMES Circuit Court is expected to hear testimony on March 15, 2024 as to whether Shemoy Brown, the man who is accused of beheading his mother at their Retirement, St James home in October last year, is fit to plead guilty to the charge of manslaughter.
Presiding High Court Justice Bertram Morrison set the new date on Friday in relation to the case against Brown, who was charged with murder on November 2 last year in relation to the October-30 death of 53-year-old Michelle Gayle-Brown.
Brown, who is represented by attorney Albert Morgan, was not present during Friday’s proceedings as he is in custody at the St Catherine Adult Correctional Centre.
Speaking to The Gleaner about the latest update in the case following Friday’s court sitting, Morgan explained that the March 15, 2024 date has been set for a hearing to be held where he will argue that Brown was not wholly in control of his actions at the time of the incident.
‘Diminished responsibility’
“I am indicating to the court that I would wish to explore the possibility of him [Brown] pleading guilty to manslaughter, on the basis of diminished responsibility. I was requesting that we get a forensic report from two psychiatrists,” Morgan outlined.
It is also understood that Brown, who was Gayle-Brown’s only child and is said to suffer from mental challenges, had previously claimed that a spirit came over him at the time of the incident, and that he was deemed unfit to plea at that time.
Unanswered (calls)
According to reports from the Granville police, Gayle-Brown, who worked as a domestic helper, did not turn up for work on Monday, October 31, 2022, and calls to her cellphone by her employer went unanswered.
A report was made to the police later that afternoon, and a police team went to Gayle-Brown’s house and discovered that the dwelling was locked.
The police forced their way inside the house, following which they discovered Gayle-Brown’s headless body covered in blood, sporting multiple chop wounds and wrapped in a sheet, and both her arms were also partially severed.
Her head was later found wrapped in a towel inside the kitchen.
Investigators later theorised that Gayle-Brown might have been attacked and killed sometime between Sunday night and Monday afternoon.
It is further alleged that subsequent to the gruesome discovery, which left neighbours and other residents stunned, Brown was taken into custody after surrendering to the police, and he was interviewed.
He was formally charged on November 2 after submitting a caution statement to investigators.