Oceanside Man Guilty of Murdering Mom, Sanity Undecided

Adam Brown is guilty of first-degree murder for plunging a kitchen knife into his mother’s head as she sat on the edge of her bed in their Oceanside home three years ago.

The same jury that found Brown guilty of murder last week was deadlocked on the sanity issue this week, and that jury was excused. Prosecutor Patricia Lavermicocca will decide whether or not to retry that part of the case in December.

A deputy medical examiner told the jury that he found a large knife so deeply embedded into the victim’s skull that he could not extract the blade manually, from the outside. Dr. Christopher Swalwell said this was “relatively unusual.” He said 77-year-old Leonore Brown did not die instantly but survived for some “minutes” after the attack, which occurred June 8, 2008. The doctor noted cut wounds across the fingers of both hands of the deceased, which he said could have been caused by the woman trying to grab the knife.

Adam Brown, 45, was the youngest of nine children that “Lee” Brown raised in the same home on Carolyn Circle in which she was found.

According to testimony, Adam Brown took the Coaster train downtown to the Hall of Justice the day after the stabbing and spoke to a deputy working at the entrance there.

“He said he was there to turn himself in ‘cause he killed his mom,” deputy Asani Minami told the jury. “I asked him if he had the knife and he said no, it was still in her.”

Officers were sent to find the deceased woman lying on her back, a blood-spattered crossword puzzle at her feet, and her bloodied reading glasses on her shoulder.

Public defender Daniel Segura has the burden of proof if the defendant continues to plead not guilty by reason of insanity.

Pictured: Adam Brown

Photo by Bob Weatherston