Attorney claims man accused of killing Dallas 4-year-old is schizophrenic
DALLAS - The attorney defending the man suspected in the recent kidnapping and murder of a 4-year old boy in Dallas believes his client suffers from schizophrenia.
Darriynn Brown, 18, is charged with kidnapping 4-year old Cash Gernon and could face an additional charge for the boy's murder. He is also charged with burglary.
Brown and his attorney, Heath Harris, say he’s not guilty on all current charges, despite Dallas police saying capital murder charges are likely coming when the forensic exam is complete.
Meanwhile, Brown’s attorney says he’s looking forward to defending him.
Two and half weeks after police say Cash was kidnapped from his home and discovered dead in a Dallas street, a memorial still stands.
Meanwhile, Brown sits in the county jail facing kidnapping and burglary charges in connection to the child’s disappearance and death.
And while detectives continue to build their case, Harris, says he’s doing the same. He spoke on camera to FOX 4 for the first time.
"My thing is I just want all the evidence to come out," the attorney said.
Trevor Gernon says Monica Sherrod, a friend of his, had been looking after his son, Cash, and his twin brother.
Brown's arrest affidavit says Sherrod identified Brown in surveillance video from the boy’s room as the person who took Cash from his crib.
Less than two hours later, police say the 4-year-old was found dead with multiple stab wounds just blocks away.
Sherrod’s son, Cameron Mori, also lives with the twins. He spoke to FOX 4 days after the murder. He revealed he knew Brown.
"What he did was wrong and I don’t know what made him think that this is alright and this is okay," Mori said.
Police say Brown also lived in the same Southwest Dallas neighborhood.
But Harris says that is not Brown in the video.
"They may have a witness that is testifying that it’s Brown, but I want an opportunity to challenge that witness," Harris said. "Even if you believe that is Brown in the video taking cash out of the crib, ok then what happened? What happened? You have three seconds."
Court records also revealed in February Brown broke into a home a few doors down from where the 4-year-old lived, assaulted a homeowner and tried to take his 2-year-old granddaughter. The grandfather only pressed charges three days after Cash was found dead.
According to court documents, the grandfather did not press charges right away because Monica Sherrod claimed Brown was going through a mental crisis and would sometimes stay at her house.
Harris confirms Brown had been to a mental health facility but was later released.
"Based on what I believe, I am going to be able to support this kid is schizophrenic," he said. "We want to see if this was a situation where it’s a ‘who done it?’ Or a simple question of, ‘why wasn’t this prevented?’"
A motive still a mystery.
The medical examiner said the autopsy report is not available yet and could take more than month before it’s released.
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