Assault case against former St James councillor dismissed
THE ST JAMES Parish Court has discontinued the case against former St James Municipal Corporation (StJMC) Councillor David Brown, who was accused of attacking his ex-girlfriend during a confrontation in May 2023, following a no-evidence motion from the prosecution last Thursday.
Brown was charged with assault occasioning bodily harm and malicious destruction of property, stemming from an incident which reportedly took place on May 28, 2023.
During Thursday’s proceedings, the complainant – who had been absent from court on several previous occasions – appeared and indicated that she did not wish to proceed any further with the matter against Brown.
Following that declaration, the prosecution entered a no-evidence motion in the matter, formally dropping the charges, and Brown was allowed to leave.
According to allegations in the case, the complainant, with whom Brown was in a relationship, was sitting in her car on May 28, 2023 when Brown knocked on the vehicle’s window. The two got into a quarrel, during which Brown hit the complainant in her face, causing pain and swelling, and also damaged her car window.
Brown, who served as the StJMC’s councillor for the Montego Bay West division, was subsequently suspended from the Jamaica Labour Party following his arrest and charge.
Notably, during Brown’s previous court appearance on Friday, March 8, the court was advised that the complainant had expressed no desire to continue pursuing the case, but had neither submitted a statement to the police to indicate her intentions of discontinuing the matter, nor did she attend court.
Prior to Thursday’s final court date, the matter was also heard on Monday, March 11. At that time the matter was rescheduled due to the absence of Brown’s lawyer, Albert Morgan, who was said to be ill on that day.
It should also be noted that during past court hearings of the matter, attorney Morgan had indicated that Brown and the complainant were attending mediation and counselling sessions at the Probation Office.
Presiding Parish Judge Sasha-Marie Ashley ordered the parties to attend restorative justice sessions when the matter was mentioned on July 12, 2023.
Prior to his 2023 assault charge, Brown ran into trouble with the law in 2018 regarding an outstanding warrant from the St James Family Court about a matter with the mother of his child, and also for allegedly hitting a 65-year-old man with his licensed firearm on August 3 that year. Brown spent five days in police custody before eventually being released.
That earlier assault case was discontinued in 2019 after the complainant indicated that he did not wish to proceed any further against Brown.
Additionally, before his August 2018 arrest, Brown came under fire for reportedly verbally abusing a woman on social media in March 2018. At that time, the StJMC’s minority caucus of the People’s National Party served notice that they would bring a motion to have Brown suspended for his alleged actions.