James Brown

Name:
BROWN, JAMES W

Date of Booking:
03/21/2025

Reason(s) For Booking:
Interfering with 911 call

Battery

Officer’s Narrative:
[Please note: The following is a direct transcription from the official initial incident report. The Georgia Gazette does not fix any spelling or grammatical errors that may exist. Any changes or redactions made by our staff are placed inside brackets. Some errors may exist. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The topics discussed may be sensitive to some readers. Discretion is advised.]

On March 21, 2025 I, Ofc. Priest, responded to [900 BLOCK] E Church St. Monroe, Ga in reference to a domestic dispute. CAD comments advised the complainants wife and father made entry into the residence and the complainant ran out of the residence to the neighbors. The complainant advised the father punched him in the face. The call taker further advised she could hear yelling and an open line with heavy breathing and the father in law possibly took the phone away from the complainant. I arrived on scene and observed a male subject, later identified as [VICTIM #1] (the complainant) sitting on the front porch of his neighbors house, [WITNESS #1] ([900 BLOCK] E Church St). I asked Mr. [WITNESS #1] what was transpiring tonight and he advised that he did not know what was going on but was woken up by Mr. [VICTIM #1].

I spoke with Mr. [VICTIM #1] who was currently wrapped in a blanket and shirtless. I could hear as Mr. [VICTIM #1] spoke, his speech was slurred and could smell the odor of an alcoholic beverage from his person. Mr. [VICTIM #1] advised that he was punched and I could see under his left eye swelling and discoloration as well as an abrasion to his left bicep. As I asked Mr. [VICTIM #1] how he sustained his injuries, he spoke with a trembling voice advising that they broke into his room and held him down. Mr. [VICTIM #1] also advised that his door was kicked in. I asked Mr. [VICTIM #1] what transpired and he advised that he was involved in an argument and he went inside and locked his bedroom door. I asked Mr. [VICTIM #1] what the argument was about and he advised that they stated he did not do enough and was building chicken coupes throughout the duration of the day.

I asked Mr. [VICTIM #1] who the gentlemen was that hit him and he advised his father in law, later identified as James Brown. I asked Mr. [VICTIM #1] the reason for Mr. Brown hitting him and he advised because he wouldn’t let them in his bedroom. I asked Mr. [VICTIM #1] if he was struck before or after he locked his bedroom door and he advised it was after Mr. Brown kicked in the door. I observed Mr. [VICTIM #1]’s nose and could see it was actively bleeding during the interview. I took photos of Mr. [VICTIM #1]’s injuries and asked if he needed medical attention. Mr. [VICTIM #1] advised that he could not afford the medical bill and I asked him again if he wanted EMS to come look at him if he required medical attention. I did not get a confirmed answer.

I asked Mr. [VICTIM #1] if him and Mr. Brown lived together and he advised they did and have been living with each other for approximately 6-7 months. I then asked Mr. [VICTIM #1] in the process of Mr. Brown striking could he recall if it was an open or closed fist and he advised closed fist. I then asked Mr. [VICTIM #1] approximately how many times he was punched and he advised 3-4 times. I advised Mr. [VICTIM #1] to remain at his neighbors residence while I spoke with other Officer’s of their findings. I spoke with Ofc. Couch who advised that Mr. Brown stated they were both drinking and when Mr. [VICTIM #1] drinks he becomes “demonic” an argument ensued after this and Mr. [VICTIM #1] locked himself in the bedroom and Mr. Brown “busted open” the door and the daughter, [WITNESS #2] (Mr. [VICTIM #1]’s wife) intervened and sustained a small scratch from the incident.

I walked to the rear of Mr. Brown and Mr. [VICTIM #1]’s residence and spoke with Mr. Brown who advised they had been drinking and he observed Mr. [VICTIM #1] on top of his daughter “Bear hugging” her. Mr. Brown described Mr. [VICTIM #1] as a demonic being due to him not being himself when he drinks. Mr. Brown then began to express how he doesn’t believe in the police department and that Law Enforcement is not the answer. Mr. brown continued to advise that he went to the neighbors and pushed Mr. [VICTIM #1]’s head back realizing that it was him on the neighbor’s front porch and took the phone from him. Mr. Brown claimed that Mr. [VICTIM #1] took all of their phones as he fled from the residence and went to Mr. [WITNESS #1]’s residence to ask him to call 911. Mr. [BROWN] then advised that he grabbed Mr. [VICTIM #1]’s phone from his hands as he was on Mr. [WITNESS #1] front porch and returned back to his residence to give it to Mrs. [WITNESS #2] to find his phone.

I asked Mr. Brown what started the argument and he advised “Alcohol”. Mr. Brown claimed that after Mr. [VICTIM #1] was screaming and beating Mrs. [WITNESS #2], he put Mr. [VICTIM #1] in a headlock and in the process his glassed were “busted. I asked Mr. Brown how Mr. [VICTIM #1] sustained his injuries and he advised “that’s all according to what happened in here”. Mr. Brown then advised he just held him into a “headlock” Mr. Brown denied all claims to striking Mr. [VICTIM #1] at this point. I walked inside to speak with Mrs. [WITNESS #2] who advised that she was taking a nap and Mr. Brown and Mr. [VICTIM #1] had been drinking and arguing since she woke up. Mrs. [WITNESS #2] advised that Mr. [VICTIM #1] became upset and locked himself in the room. Mrs. [WITNESS #2] then advised that Mr. Brown advised him to open the door or he was going to break it down due to Mrs. [WITNESS #2] wanting to go to bed and they started “going at it” and she was attempting to keep them from fighting. I observed the bedroom door and Mrs. [WITNESS #2] advised that the door and frame had prior damage to it already.

Mrs. [WITNESS #2] then advised that she was in the living room when Mr. [VICTIM #1] and Mr. Brown started fighting and did not see who threw the first punch. I then observed blood on the wall next to the door and asked Mrs. [WITNESS #2] whose blood that was. Mrs. [WITNESS #2] then advised she did not know. I walked outside to check Mr. Brown for any injuries sustained and found none. I then explained the the different versions of claims from each party. Mr. Brown advised that he was upset that Mr. [VICTIM #1] was beating his daughter Mrs. [WITNESS #2]. During my conversation with Mrs. [WITNESS #2], I observed no injuries to her person.

At this time Mr. [VICTIM #1] was currently sitting in a patrol vehicle and I spoke with him on his cell phone asking at the time he walked over to his neighbors residence did he have his phone on his person to which he advised he did. I then asked Mr. [VICTIM #1] what he was doing on his phone while he was sitting at his neighbor’s residence and he advised that he was on the phone with 911. I then asked what occurred when Mr. Brown walked over to where he was sitting and he replied that Mr. Brown slapped him and took his phone and walked back over to his residence. I then confirmed with dispatch the information that Mr. [VICTIM #1] advised which lined up with his claims. I then asked Dispatch to provide me with the number that was used to call 911 and she advised [PHONE NUMBER REDACTED]. I then asked Mr. [VICTIM #1] what his phone number was and he provided me with the same number.

Due to the series of events and Mr. [VICTIM #1] separating himself from an argument by locking himself in the bedroom away from Mr. Brown, and by Mr. Brown kicking in the door reengaging himself into a further altercation he was deemed the predominant aggressor. Mr. Brown was then taken into custody, handcuffed behind his back, checked for fit, and double locked and transported to the Monroe Police Department for processing. During Mr. Brown’s processing he advised that he did not know that Mr. [VICTIM #1] was on the phone with 911 when he took the phone from him. Mr. Brown was charged with Battery- Family Violence and Interference with a 911 call. Mr. Brown was then transported to the Walton County Jail where he was turned over to Deputies without incident.

[End of Narrative]