Brandon Wilson

Background

Brandon Wilson was a drifter from Milltown, Wisconsin. He had no permanent place of residence and had been abusing LSD since he was 14. Wilson graduated high school and received a $25,000 settlement for injuries he sustained in a car accident. He used the money to travel the country and find God.

At age 13, Wilson was profoundly affected by his parents’ divorce, which made him develop a hatred against his mother. He had fantasies of killing her. Wilson believed he was a warrior for God.

Wilson was also disturbed by the sudden death of one of his closest friends in a car accident.

Wilson told investigators he killed Matthew because God told him to do it and then to go on a killing spree. During the trial, Wilson pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.

The offence

Brandon Wilson murdered 9-year-old Matthew Cecchi in Oceanside, California on November 14, 1998. Wilson was twenty years old when he followed the boy into the men’s washroom at the Oceanside Harbor.

Matthew was at a family event and was escorted by his aunt to the washroom. The aunt stayed outside near the door waiting for Matthew. Wilson quickly took out a knife and pulled Matthew’s head back, slashing his throat from ear-to-ear without making a sound.

After the attack, Wilson left, walking past Matthew’s aunt and hissing, “What's going on?” to her. The aunt was alarmed and called out to her nephew. Hearing no answer, she entered the washroom and screamed when she found the little boy lying dead in a pool of blood.

During the sanity and penalty phase of the trial, Wilson’s prosecutor said Wilson’s actions showed he was looking for a victim “hunting” for a victim, preferably a pure, young one. Wilson also confessed that he chose to kill his victim in a dark bathroom so no one would be able to stop him. Wilson chose to go to Oceanside because he thought the place was large enough for him to “slip through the cracks” and get away with murder. Medical examiners testified that Cecchi was conscious for 10 long seconds before passing out. As Wilson held Cecchi’s head back, the last image Cecchi could have seen was his own blood hitting the bathroom wall with each heartbeat.

Investigation

Oceanside police immediately cordoned off the area in an attempt to find the killer, but Wilson was not caught at the scene.

Wilson told authorities he killed at the direction of God and chose Matthew because he was “innocent.”

Wilson was caught a few days later when he attacked a woman in Los Angeles.

During deliberations on Tuesday and Wednesday in the sanity and death penalty phase of the trial, jurors asked for a readback of Wilson’s testimony in that phase. They also asked to review Wilson’s taped police confession and the Cecchi family’s 911 call after finding the little boy gravely wounded in the Oceanside, California public park bathroom.

Arrest

Wilson was not caught initially after the murder. He was caught a few days later when he attacked a woman in Los Angeles.

Trial

Wilson’s trial began on September 13, 1999.

Plea and insanity defence

Brandon pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.

Wilson’s public defender, Curt Owen, portrayed him as an insane young adult who heard voices. Owen told jurors that Wilson experienced urges to kill since he was a teenager. Owen argued that mitigating circumstances, including Wilson’s psychiatric history, youth and drug use, precluded the death penalty.

In addition, Owen quoted Shakespeare and Clarence Darrow and argued for mercy. He wrote, “No, Brandon Wilson does not deserve mercy. Mercy is never deserved. Mercy is an act of grace, an act of grace which can only be bestowed when it is not deserved. Were it deserved, it would be merely justice.”

Wilson’s defense attorney argued during the sanity phase that Wilson thought he was an emissary of God placed on earth to kill and could not appreciate the wrongfulness of his actions when he attacked Cecchi.

Wilson admitted his involvement in Cecchi’s murder was never at issue and he admitted killing the boy during his arraignment last year. Wilson pleaded guilty to the murder with a special circumstance of lying in wait, and California law also allowed him to add a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity.

Video confession and police testimony

Jurors rejected the insanity defense after reviewing the videotaped confession where Wilson admitted knowing society’s views on murder and decided he would face a death penalty hearing. Brandon appeared happy and proud of his actions in the videotape, smiled and laughed several times as he demonstrated to a police officer how he attacked the boy. Wilson even admitted he knew his actions were wrong.

Prosecution arguments

The prosecution was led by David Rubin. Rubin focused on Wilson’s admitted lack of remorse and on words and actions showing that Wilson fully knew what he was doing when he slit Cecchi’s throat. Rubin stressed Wilson’s “hunting” for a victim, that Wilson chose to kill in a dark bathroom so no one would be able to stop him, and that Wilson believed the Oceanside location would allow him to “slip through the cracks” and get away with murder. Rubin also reminded jurors about medical testimony that Cecchi was conscious for 10 long seconds before passing out and the significance of Cecchi’s final image as described in court.

Defendant’s statements at trial

During the penalty phase, Wilson urged the jury to give him the death penalty. He told the jury society would be a better place without him. He admitted having no remorse for Matthew Cecchi, and told them he was capable of killing another child and enjoying it.

Wilson took the stand last month to say he had no remorse and demanded that jurors execute him, stating:

“I would do it again in a second if I had the chance,” Wilson said. “I've explained to you my position here. My whole purpose in life is to help destroy your society. You people are here as representatives of that society. As such, you should do everything in your power to rid the world of me. Execute me.”

Wilson later reportedly chose not to speak at his final sentencing.

During the sanity and penalty phase, jurors requested a readback of Wilson’s testimony and asked to review the videotaped confession and the 911 call.

Family and courtroom context

Family and friends filled the courtroom to offer support for the Cecchi family. Matthew’s mother, Sharon Cecchi, said the family had “fallen apart” since Matthew’s death.

Matthew’s father, Lou Cecchi Jr., was battling cancer and he and Sharon decided to divorce.

A letter read by family friend Michael Lamph included Lou Cecchi Jr.’s statements describing Wilson as “a punk” and a “freak” and saying Wilson had destroyed “our happy family of four.” In the same letter, Lou Cecchi Jr. said he had become “a robot.” Lou Cecchi Jr. wrote, “Divorce, cancer, and murder all in one year, I feel like an actor in a horror movie,” wrote Cecchi.

Sharon delivered an impact statement and read letters from Matthew’s classmates. She spoke about the devastating “pain and loneliness” of her remaining child, Nicholas, 4. Of Wilson, she said, “May he not relish in our pain.” She also said:

“Let him see the face of a dying person every day and every night, and let that face be his own. This is what he wants, this is what the jury demanded. Let it be done.”

Deputy Public Defender Curt Owen could do little to stop the death sentence. Owen argued motions to reduce Wilson’s sentence to life in prison without parole, including a mandatory motion and another eloquent motion quoting Shakespeare and Clarence Darrow.

Sentencing

On September 28, 1999, the jury quickly returned a guilty verdict. During the penalty phase, the jury recommended the death penalty and imposed the death penalty.

In the sentencing remarks, Judge John Einhorn brushed off a plea for mercy by Wilson’s public defender and imposed the death sentence recommended October 6 by the jury. Einhorn said:

“Mr. Wilson, you have made real every parent's nightmare. By your twisted and selfish actions, you have take from us our most precious asset, that is our children,” Einhorn said.

After the judge imposed the sentence, Owen called the case “a living hell” and said he planned to retire because of the cumulative effect of cases like Wilson’s. Owen called his client “my worst opponent” and said, “He outdid me. He got what he wanted.”

Appeals

Wilson had an entitlement to an automatic appeal to the California Supreme Court whether he was pleased with his death sentence or not.

Outcome

Brandon Wilson was sent to death row at San Quentin State Prison. He was incarcerated on Death Row at San Quentin State Prison.

Aftermath

During sentencing-related courtroom moments, Cecchi family friend Michael Lamph addressed Wilson directly. Lamph said:

“This was not an act of God. God had no role in this. It was Satan. And he made a fool of you,” said Lamph. “I hope and pray you rot in hell for eternity.”

Wilson wore his characteristic half-smile and sometimes looked bored, and only twice lifted his eyes from the defense table and followed the court action. He looked up first when Lamph addressed him and mocked Wilson’s “emissary of God” defense, and he also appeared interested when Einhorn mentioned San Quentin, where California’s death row is housed.