LaJeromeny Brown, in white shirt, arrives in court Oct. 30, 2023, behind attorney Eric Wood. Brown is on trial for capital murder in the shooting death of Huntsville police officer Billy Clardy III. A Madison County jury has now deliberated about 11 hours over three days but has not reached a verdict in the capital murder trial of LaJaromeny Brown, charged with shooting and killing Huntsville police officer Billy Clardy III during an undercover drug operation in 2019.
As he was leaving the courtroom late Monday afternoon, Brown blew a kiss to his family sitting nearby in the gallery and appeared to mouth the words, “Love you.” Both Deputy District Attorney Tim Gann and Brown defense attorney Bruce Gardner, when asked by the judge, said they were comfortable with the jury continuing its deliberations. The jury first began considering a verdict about 5 p.m. Thursday, discussing the case for about 30 minutes before going home to return Friday.While Brown is charged with capital murder -- which could result in the death penalty -- the jury may also consider two lesser charges: Felony murder and manslaughter.
Brown shot Clardy three times inside an abandoned north Huntsville house on Levert Street after police set a trap to arrest Brown – who arrived at the scene believing he was selling 100 pounds of marijuana to an interested customer, who happened to be an undercover drug task force officer. As Brown entered the house, Clardy emerged from Brown’s left in an effort to take him into custody.