Son accused of beheading mother not fit to plead
The St James Circuit Court heard on Friday that a fitness to plead report indicated that Shemoy Brown, the man who is accused of beheading his mother at their Retirement, St James, home last year October, is not fit to plead.
Brown, 29, otherwise called Shem, was charged for the murder of 53-year-old Michelle Gayle-Brown.
Gayle-Brown is suspected to have been attacked by her son, who is presumed to be mentally ill.
Brown, who is represented by attorney-at-law Albert Morgan, was not present during Friday’s proceedings. The court was informed that he is being held at the St Catherine Adult Correctional Centre.
Morgan stated on the last occasion that when he spoke with his client he spoke in a manner that could be understood. The attorney also said that Brown had expressed a desire to plead guilty to manslaughter.
During Friday’s proceedings, Morgan expressed his belief that pleading guilty on the basis of diminished responsibility could potentially benefit his client’s case.
“I am indicating to the court that I would wish to explore the possibility of him [Brown] pleading guilty to manslaughter on the basis of diminished responsibility. I was requesting that we get forensic reports from two psychiatrists,” Morgan said.
The judge subsequently scheduled the case for mention on March 15, 2024 and remanded Brown in police custody.
According to reports from the Granville police, Gayle-Brown, who works as a caregiver, had not turned up for work on the morning of Monday, October 31, 2023 and calls to her cellphone by her employer went unanswered.
A report was made to the police later that afternoon and a police team went to Gayle-Brown’s house and discovered that the dwelling was locked.
The police forced their way inside the house and found Gayle-Brown’s headless body covered in blood, with multiple chop wounds and wrapped in a sheet. Both her arms were partially severed.
Her head was later found wrapped in a towel inside the kitchen.
Detectives theorised that Gayle-Brown may have been attacked and killed at any point between Sunday evening and Monday afternoon.
Brown was taken into custody after surrendering to the police.
