INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A man accused of fatally shooting an Indiana police officer who came to his aid following a car crash was convicted Tuesday in the officer’s slaying.
Marion Superior Judge Mark Stoner announced to a courtroom filled with law enforcement officers that he found Jason Brown guilty of murder in the death of 38-year-old Southport Lt. Aaron Allan.
Brown, who was also convicted of a misdemeanor marijuana possession charge, will be sentenced on April 8. He faces up to 65 years in prison on the murder charge.
Brown was dangling upside down by his seatbelt on July 27, 2017, when Allan approached after the single-car crash on the south side of Indianapolis. Allan attempted to crawl into the vehicle to keep Brown calm until paramedics arrived, prosecutors said.
Moments later, Brown shot Allan 11 times, fatally wounding the officer.
Two other officers then opened fire on Brown, wounding him.
Allan, who was married and had two sons, was a full-time officer with the Southport Police Department in the 2,000-person municipality on the south side of Indianapolis.
Prosecutors agreed in December to drop their death penalty request in exchange for the judge, instead of a jury, hearing the case.
The defense argued that Brown suffered a seizure before the crash and was not conscious of the fact he was shooting at an officer. But a doctor who treated Brown following the crash testified that he saw no evidence of a seizure.
