INDIANAPOLIS — A judge has made a guilty ruling in the killing of a Southport police lieutenant.
In front of a packed courtroom with at least 20 Southport police officers, Marion Superior Judge Mark Stoner found Jason Brown guilty of murder for fatally shooting 38-year-old Southport Lt. Aaron Allan.
Allan was shot 11 times when he stopped to help Brown after the suspect crashed his car on Madison Avenue on the south side of Indianapolis on July 27, 2017.
Judge Stoner’s reasoning for the guilty verdict included Brown never seeking medical care for an apparent seizure condition.
During the trial, Brown’s lawyers had argued he suffered a seizure before the crash and was not conscious of the fact that he was shooting at an officer.
The judge also said a doctor who testified on behalf on the defense was not an actual expert and changed her testimony to fit the defense’s argument that Brown suffered from seizures.
Originally, the previous Marion County prosecutor said his office would seek the death penalty against Brown. However, that was changed under current prosecutor Ryan Mears after Brown was asked to waive a jury trial.
According to Judge Stoner, the prosecution did not establish enough evidence that Brown knew he was shooting a police officer when Allan was shot.
Brown now faces up to 65 years in prison. His sentencing has been set for April 8.
Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears released the following statement:
“We should all strive to carry ourselves with the compassion that Aaron demonstrated both in his professional and personal life. He was a family man who lost his life while trying to do his job and help someone in need. As we come one step closer to providing finality to the criminal matter, our thoughts remain with the Allan family and the Southport Police Department.”
