Nephew ordered to stand trial for killing uncle

A Coldwater, Mississippi, man has been ordered to stand trial for the stabbing death of his uncle.

Terry A. Brown appeared Thursday afternoon before Associate Circuit Judge C. Wade Pierce for a preliminary hearing in his case. He was accompanied by his attorney, Katie New with the Public Defender’s Office.

The 28-year-old is charged with the Class A felony of second-degree murder and the unclassified felony of armed criminal action.

Brown is accused of causing the May 8 death of Virgil Brown II. The 50-year-old reportedly died at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center from a stab wound to his chest.

During his appearance, Terry Brown reportedly provided the court with a written waiver, waiving his right to a preliminary hearing.

After questioning Terry Brown, Pierce found Brown’s waiver was “freely and voluntarily” made.

Pierce subsequently ordered Terry Brown to appear Jan. 5 for arraignment before Presiding Circuit Judge Michael Pritchett.

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 11:40 p.m. May 7 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.

When officers arrived, Woodruff said, the elder Brown was found laying on the floor, bleeding from an apparent chest wound.

A woman at the scene, Woodruff said, reported her grandson, Terry Brown, “was responsible for stabbing Virgil Brown II.”

Terry Brown’s fiance 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.”

When contacted, Woodruff said, the younger Brown alleged “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.’”