Jury finds Blackmon not guilty of murder
Published 12:00 am Thursday, February 13, 2003
Annie Blackmon has been found not guilty of the murder of Lola Brown.
The decision was handed down at 6 p.m. Wednesday after two hours of deliberation.
Michael Jackson, defense attorney for Blackmon, said that he called three witnesses to the stand to prove his case to the jury.
One was Ty’keshia Blackmon, Annie Blackmon’s 12-year-old daughter.
Ty’keshia, Jackson said, told the jury what she saw the night of June 3, 2000.
Brown, 55, approached Blackmon, 32, Ty’keshia said, and her mother told Brown that she didn’t want to fight because Brown was older.
Brown, Ty’keshia said, then cut Blackmon.
At that point, she said, Blackmon pulled a tire iron out of the truck of a car and struck Brown.
Brendon Wyatt, a doctor, also testified Wednesday.
Wyatt presented the jury with the model of a skull and explained how the blow Blackmon dealt to Brown couldn’t have caused her death.
Jackson also said that Wyatt told the jury that Brown’s optic nerve looked normal and her eyes weren’t dilated after the incident.
Blackmon herself also testified.
She explained that she was trying to get some of her things from the house where Brown was at when Brown attacked her with a razor.
At some point, Blackmon testified, she pulled a tire iron out and hit Brown with it. However, she said Brown continued to chase her.
Willie Browder, 59, a man that both women had a friendship with at some point, tried to restrain Brown, but she accidentally hit her face on a truck, Blackmon said.
District Attorney Ed Greene said he was pleased with the hard work and effort of Mickey Avery, the attorney who prosecuted the case.
He added that the question wasn’t about what happened the night of June 3, 2000, but was about who was at fault.
Jackson said Blackmon is planning on moving to Florida and marrying a preacher.