The Mississippi Supreme Court has upheld the August 2013 murder conviction of Andy Brown in the killing of Earlie “Pops” Balford of Pittsboro.
Brown was sentenced to life in prison for stabbing the 68-year-old Balford to death with a screwdriver in April 2012.
Andy Brown
Brown, 31, appealed to the Supreme Court seeking a new trial based on several factors such as the state not allowing a psychologist to testify despite him having past mental issues.
After his initial arrest, Brown was given a psychological examination by order of the court and was ruled fit to stand trial.
Brown claimed self defense in the trial saying Balford first attacked him with the screwdriver. Brown’s defense believes the jury should have been able to consider a manslaughter charge that would have carried a lesser sentence than life in prison.
Brown’s defense also cited “ineffective counsel” as a reason for a new trial.
The State Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the circuit trial that took place in Pittsboro, citing no errors nor a need for another.
Balford, who lived in a trailer less than 100 feet from Brown’s home, was pronounced dead at the scene by Coroner Jerry Fleming.
Sheriff Greg Pollan said at the time of the arrest that Balford had been stabbed more than a dozen times with what appeared to be a Phillips-head screwdriver. Brown never left the scene of the crime. He went next door and told his mother, Annie Brown, what had happened and she dialed 9-1-1.
Brown has been serving his sentence in Marshall County since last October.