John Wesley Brown

Case record: John Wesley Brown

Background

John Wesley Brown was sentenced to death on July 25, 1991 for the first-degree murder of his father, Wesley Brown.

The offence

On June 10, 1990, John Brown and his father, Wesley Brown, who was then seventy-seven years old, were together in their home in Philadelphia. A quarrel occurred over Brown's use of his father's car for “hacking,” described as an unlicensed taxi service. John Brown shot his father four times with a .38 caliber pistol and left him to bleed to death in their home.

Brown placed a .38 caliber revolver next to his father's body and took $400 from his father's wallet. He then drove off in his father's car. He disposed of the murder weapon by throwing it out the car window in Maryland en route to Georgia.

Investigation

A neighbor who heard the shots called the victim's granddaughter, who in turn called her grandfather. John Brown answered the phone and told his niece that her grandfather was outdoors.

Arrest

Two days after the shooting, Brown was stopped at a road check in Georgia. A computer check of his driver's license disclosed that the license was expired, that the car was stolen, and that Brown was wanted in Pennsylvania for murder.

Trial

John Brown admitted shooting his father, but claimed it was done in self-defense after his father pointed a .357 magnum pistol at him.

Sentencing

The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania opinion J-70-2002 sentenced John Wesley Brown to death on July 25, 1991.

Outcome

Other details

• Method: shot four times with a .38 caliber pistol.
• Weapon handling: the .38 caliber revolver was placed next to Wesley Brown’s body; the murder weapon was later thrown out the car window in Maryland en route to Georgia.
• Property taken: $400 from Wesley Brown’s wallet.
• Vehicle: Brown drove off in Wesley Brown’s car; later the car was identified as stolen during a road check in Georgia.
• Conditional claim: Brown claimed self-defense after Wesley Brown pointed a .357 magnum pistol at him.