The trial continued for a suspect in a fatal shooting who who isn’t accused of pulling the trigger. A defense witness, who is the victim’s mother who is also the defendant’s sister, testified and parties gave closing arguments before DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt on Aug. 7.
Franklin Dorn, 45, is charged the second-degree murder of his nephew while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convict, for his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of Antonio Brown, 28, on Aug. 6, 2023 on the 1200 block of North Capitol Street, NW.
During the last day of the trial, Dorn’s attorney, Kevin Irving, called Brown’s mother, who at the same time, is Dorn’s sister, who testified about the relationship between Brown and Dorn. The witness described their relationship as “very close” and said Dorn treated Brown “like a son.”
The witness, who represents both the defendant’s and the victim’s family, also stated that Brown, “Liked his uncle a lot…valued their relationship [and] would take advice from him.” Irving, asked about Dorn’s behavior at Brown’s funeral and the witness said Dorn was “very emotional.”
Irving asked Brown’s mother if she had seen the video of the incident and if she knew the other individual who fired the shot that killed her son. She said she had not seen the video and did not personally know the shooter. Brown’s mother stated she only knew what people said about the individual, that he is a “violent indictable” person, and knew many people who were “fearful of him.”
However, the prosecution argued during closing statements that even though Dorn’s own gun or bullet didn’t kill Brown, his “actions did.” Prosecutors claimed Dorn had many opportunities to leave the situation before it escalated.
The prosecution also stated that Dorn’s intention was to shoot someone that day. They added that if Dorn’s gun didn’t malfunction, it would have killed someone. Prosecutors also stated that Dorn was the aggressor in the incident and that Brown was the peacekeeper.
The prosecutors presented surveillance video of the day of the incident that showed a person identified as Dorn and the the fatal shooter in an argument before Dorn pointed his gun at the other shooter and it malfunctioned. The shooter then ducked before engaging in a physical fight with Dorn. In the video, Dorn allegedly hit the shooter who fired a shot that hit Brown.
During Irving’s closing he claimed the prosecutors didn’t show the full video. Irving proceeded to show a clip of the fatal shooter lifting his shirt to show his gun to Dorn in what Irving described as a threatening manner.
Irving argued that Dorn acted in self-defense because the other shooter was the aggressor. Irving also noted that the other shooter’s bullet was the one that killed Brown.
The lawyer also claimed many of the witnesses the prosecution called were not reliable and prosecutors did not have sufficient evidence against Dorn.
The prosecution rebutted that it was not self-defense and that nobody was afraid of the other shooter otherwise they would have left the scene.
Prosecutors also claimed that Dorn ran away after Brown was shot and questioned why Dorn left if Brown was like a son to him. Prosecutors asserted “Antonio Brown was trying to keep the peace” in the situation between Dorn and the other shooter.
Parties will reconvene when the jury reaches a verdict.
