Mississippi man arraigned in stabbing death of uncle

A Coldwater, Mississippi, man appeared in court Monday morning after he recently was charged with the stabbing death of his uncle.

Terry A. Brown appeared via video before Associate Circuit Judge C. Wade Pierce for arraignment on the Class A felony of second-degree murder and the unclassified felony of armed criminal action.

The 28-year-old is accused of causing the death of Virgil Brown II. The 50-year-old reportedly died at about 1 a.m. Friday at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center.

An autopsy performed Saturday morning “basically was consistent with everything we saw that he died of a stab wound to his chest,” said Butler County Coroner Andy Moore.

Samples were taken to toxicology analysis, and those results are pending the completion of Dr. Russell Deidiker’s final autopsy report, Moore said.

During Monday’s hearing, the younger Brown was formally arraigned and told of his constitutional rights, including his right to counsel, according to Casenet.

Terry Brown requested a public defender, and a bond reduction hearing was set for 9 a.m. May 18. He is being held in the Butler County jail on a $500,000 cash or surety bond.

The charges against Terry Brown stem from an investigation by the Poplar Bluff Police Department.

Police officers were sent to a home in the 1000 block of Grand Avenue at about 11:35 p.m. Thursday regarding a report of a fight in progress, with one person allegedly armed with a knife, Detective Joey Woodruff wrote in his probable-cause statement.

“While officers were responding, they were advised one person at the scene had been stabbed,” Woodruff said. “Patrolman (Brentyn) Clark arrived on scene and was directed inside the residence by people on scene.

“Inside, Patrolman Clark found Virgil Brown II laying in the floor, bleeding from an apparent chest wound.”

Woodruff said Clark spoke with a woman at the scene, who reported her grandson, Terry Brown, “was responsible for stabbing Virgil Brown II.”

Cpl. Shonna Grobe spoke with Terry Brown’s fiance, who reported “Terry had gotten into a verbal argument and physical altercation” with his brother, Woodruff said. “(She) stated that once the altercation was over, she tried to get Terry to leave the house.

“Terry briefly separated from the family to cool off. She and Terry were approached by Virgil Brown, who was insulting her and instigating Terry.”

Woodruff said Terry Brown’s fiance further reported he took two butter knives from the kitchen and allegedly took a “defensive stance toward everyone, but discarded the butter knives and retrieved another knife, which he already had on his person.”

Terry Brown then allegedly began pointing the knife at other people.

“At this point, Virgil Brown II grabbed Terry to subdue him and a scuffle ensued in the hallway,” Woodruff said. “During this scuffle, Virgil Brown II released Terry, and everyone realized he had been stabbed.”

On-scene officers, Woodruff said, learned everyone at the home had been drinking, and all were “too intoxicated to provide an accurate statement regarding the incident,” so interviews were to be conducted at a later time.

Clark, Woodruff said, found Terry Brown in a van parked on the property.

When contacted, the younger Brown “began crying and asked if he wasn’t going home,” Woodruff said. “ … Terry explained to Patrolman Clark that people were trying to fight him and that Virgil Brown II put him in a choke hold, so he pulled out his knife and stabbed him ‘in self-defense.’”

Terry Brown was taken to the police department, where he was formally interviewed by Detective Steve McCane.

“Terry stated that he and his brother … had gotten into an argument, and he was attempting to leave when his cousin (Virgil Brown II’s son) began arguing with him and cussing his girlfriend and her children,” Woodruff said.

During the argument, Terry Brown reported his uncle “grabbed him by the neck. While Virgil Brown II was holding him, he grabbed his knife from his waistband and ‘stuck’ (his uncle),” Woodruff said.

On Friday, Terry Brown was re-interviewed at the Butler County jail by Woodruff.

At that time, Woodruff said, Terry Brown identified a knife, which had been seized from the scene, and “admitted that it was his knife …”

Woodruff said Terry Brown reported he and his brother had “got into it. (His brother) was drunk and calling him names. His cousin … came up to him and was getting in his face.

“He said they were attacking him, and he broke down. Then, his uncle came out of his room and grabbed him from behind and put him in a headlock.”

Terry Brown further reported he “did not know who it was, so he reached for his knife and ‘poked’ him with it,” Woodruff said. “… Terry said the incident occurred in the hallway and that ‘they all’ was ‘bum rushing’ him.”

Woodruff said Terry Brown admitted to arming himself with the two butter knives prior to the stabbing, and did so in “self-defense because they were all attacking him. Terry could not explain why everyone was attacking him other than they were drunk.”

Contrary to what witnesses reported, Terry Brown denied creating any problems at the home, Woodruff said.

“Terry then explained that his brother was going off on his grandma and that was building up on him, and he let it out,” Woodruff said. “Everybody else in the house started attacking him.”

Terry Brown reported he had a couple of scratches on his hand, but, Woodruff said, he didn’t see any.

“Terry said he had no other injuries from being ‘attacked’ by the other people,” Woodruff said. “(He) then said that one boy was trying to ‘swing’ on him, and everyone was trying to break them up.”

Woodruff said Terry Brown admitted to drinking three beers and being “‘buzzed,’” but not drunk.

Terry Brown subsequently confirmed it was not his intent to kill his uncle, Woodruff said.

“Terry said he just wanted him to ‘back up,’ so he ‘poked’ him,” Woodruff said.