Judge hears of courthouse threats

WEST CHESTER » A Common Pleas judge has ordered heightened security in his courtroom for a scheduled hearing today involving a former West Nottingham man who allegedly made threats that he would attempt to “snatch” a deputy sheriff’s weapon and use it to create havoc in the Chester County Justice Center.

“I may be on CNN,” defendant William Brown told a relative during a telephone call from Chester County Prison he made last June about his alleged plans to disrupt any court proceeding involving the charges of attempted murder and rape against him.

“I’m already 46. I’m not stressed about it. They want 25 (years). You might as well go and murder someone.”

A transcript of two telephone conversations between Brown and his aunt, identified only as “AF,” was read into the record by Judge James P. MacElree II after it was provided to him by Assistant District Attorney Ryan Borchik, who is prosecuting the case against Brown. Borchik told the judge that he was making the transcript available so the judge would be aware of the security concerns that Brown might pose.

After reading the transcript, MacElree instructed the deputy sheriffs in his courtroom to make certain that all “necessary precautions” were in place when Brown appears for a proceeding today at which he will be asked about plea offers that have been communicated to him, and whether he still wishes to go to trial on the charges filed last year after he allegedly assaulted his exwife, stabbed her cousin, threatened to kill them both and then himself, and raped her.

Brown, who was living in Quarryville, Lancaster County at the time of the incident, is scheduled to go to trial on Aug. 21.

The alleged attacks occurred on Valentine’s Day 2016, just days after Brown’s wife had secured a protective order prohibiting Brown from entering their former home. He said he wanted to commit a “Valentine’s Day Massacre” as revenge for his wife’s alleged infidelities.

Brown’s attorney, Assistant Public Defender Meredith Copeland, acknowledged that Borchik had a right to apprise MacElree of the recording, but said that she did not believe her client was being serious when he told his aunt about the plans to grab a weapon and be “on CNN.”

“I think he was just trying to make (his aunt) laugh,” she told the judge. “I have never felt nervous when I am next to him.” Indeed, when Brown discusses being on television news, his aunt responds with laughter.

Borchik and Copeland had set up the hearing before MacElree to discuss the plea offers that the DA’s Office was making in the case, and whether Brown was unwilling to accept any offer of a prison sentence longer than 25 years. In the transcript, he is quoted as saying that he might accept a term of 15 years, but that a 25 year sentence would be life a life sentence for someone his age.

All telephone calls from the county prison are subject to being tape recorded. Borchik said he had numerous recordings of calls that Brown made from the Pocopson facility.

Brown was arrested on Feb. 14, 2016 at the home on Center Drive where his wife was living and which he forced his way into after she obtained a protection from abuse order. He is charged with rape, attempted murder, aggravated assault, simple assault, recklessly endangering anther person and possession of an instrument of crime, and is being held on $500,000 bail.

According authorities, Brown’s wife was able to alert police to what was happening in her home during the incident by secretly dialing 911 on a cell phone, and leaving it on live during the attack. State police troopers responded to the call and halted the attack when they arrived.

Said District Attorney Tom Hogan at the time of the incident, “She stopped what otherwise would have been a double murder.”

According to the criminal complaint filed by state Trooper Aaron Botts, the woman was at home with her cousin, identified as Scott Barton, who had stayed overnight with her for protection. They already had changed the locks at the residence to keep Brown out.

At approximately 8:30 a.m., Brown arrived at the residence and kicked in the front door. Brown immediately stabbed Barton in the chest with a butcher’s knife. Brown also choked the victim until she became disoriented. Brown then stated that every time the victim spoke, Brown would stab Barton again.

Brown continued to terrorize the victim and Barton slicing Barton in the face with a box cutter and struck him in the head with a wooden statue. He then stabbed Barton in the chest again and threatened to kill them both. During this activity, the victim managed to dial 911 on her cellphone and hide the phone, leaving an open line so that police would respond. Brown next took the victim into a bedroom and raped her.

The victim and Brown then heard someone coming to the front door. The victim told Brown it must be their daughter. Brown told the victim to let their daughter in and sat down. Instead of their daughter, it was several troopers from Avondale Barracks who quickly entered, secured Brown, and began treating the victim and her cousin, the release stated.

The woman and her cousin were transported to a hospital. Barton was operated on and is in serious but stable condition. Borchik said he spent two months in a coma, after Brown allegedly tried to cut his face off.