Jury finds Brumfield guilty of first-degree murder

• By KORAN ADDO
• Advocate staff writer
• Published: May 28, 2008 - UPDATED: 7:40 p.m.

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WBRZ Channel 2 has learned that a Baton Rouge jury has just found Sanchez Brumfield guilty of first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder in the 2006 slaying of Aaron Arnold in the parking lot of the Olive Garden restaurant on Siegen Lane.

5:57 p.m.

Brumfield case goes to jury

Jurors have begun deliberating in the first-degree murder trial of Sanchez Brumfield, a 23-year-old man accused of taking part in the fatal shooting of a man behind the Olive Garden restaurant in 2006.

Before deliberations began, though, state District Judge William Morvant read the applicable laws to jurors. Morvant filled in for state District Judge Todd Hernandez, who presided over the trial, because Hernandez became ill Wednesday afternoon.

If jurors find Brumfield guilty as charged on a count of first-degree murder, they will return as early as Thursday to decide whether to recommend a sentence of life in prison or death. If jurors acquit Brumfield or find him guilty of a lesser charge, the jury will not return for a penalty phase.

In the second day of testimony, Debra Hattaway, a Ouachita Parish teacher, testified that Brumfield called her for advice after the shooting.

In her testimony, Hattaway said Brumfield was distraught as he told her an acquaintance shot a man in the parking lot of the restaurant at 6911 Siegen Lane.

“I can’t believe he did it. He shot someone,” the teacher testified.

The teacher, who described herself as a mentor to Brumfield and admitted having a romantic relationship with him, contacted her pastor after receiving Brumfield’s call. Her pastor then contacted authorities.

Both the state and the defense rested their respective cases this morning and closing arguments are scheduled for 1 p.m. in state District Judge Todd Hernandez’s courtroom.

Brumfield is one of two people indicted in the shooting death of 21-year-old Aaron Arnold. Arnold was helping a woman put gasoline in her car at the restaurant when the shooting occurred, authorities have said.

The woman, Dionne Grayson, 28, testified Tuesday she heard Brumfield yell out, “Just shoot them if they don’t …” The other man indicted in the case, Tracy Young, 30, is accused of wounding Grayson and fatally shooting Arnold during a robbery attempt.