Dallas man sentenced to life in prison for kidnapping, murdering 4-year-old Cash Gernon
Man sentenced to life in prison for murder of 4 y/o
The man accused in the 2021 kidnapping and fatal stabbing of 4-year-old Cash Gernon pleaded guilty just before the start of his capital murder trial on Monday. The case was expected to hinge on an insanity defense seeking to spare the defendant the death penalty.
DALLAS - The man accused in the 2021 kidnapping and fatal stabbing of 4-year-old Cash Gernon pleaded guilty just before the start of his capital murder trial.
Darriynn Brown Guilty Plea
Darriynn Brown's guilty plea | RAW VIDEO
Darriynn Brown pleaded guilty to murder on Monday just before his trial was set to begin for the death of 4-year-old Cash Gernon in Dallas. Brown was sentenced to life in prison.
What's new:
Jury selection was set to begin on Monday morning for 22-year-old Darriynn Brown's capital murder trial for the death of 4-year-old Cash Gernon.
Instead, Brown pleaded guilty to a lesser murder charge and was immediately sentenced to life in prison.
He does have the possibility of parole.
4-year-old Cash Gernon Murdered
Darriynn Brown (2021)
The backstory:
Brown was charged with capital murder, as well as kidnapping and burglary, in connection to Gernon's death.
In May 2021, Gernon's body was found stabbed to death on Saddleridge Drive, eight blocks from his home in a southwest Dallas neighborhood.
"The sweetest little boy. He loved everybody," Cameron Mori told FOX 4 in a 2021 interview.
Mori’s mom had been taking care of Cash and his twin brother. She was friends with their father, who left them with her. Their mother was not around.
Police arrested Brown the same day the child's body was discovered. An arrest affidavit indicated that DNA evidence and video captured on a baby camera during the kidnapping linked Brown to the crime.
Dallas man caught on camera kidnapping 4-year-old before his murder could use insanity defense
The man caught on camera taking a 4-year-old Dallas boy from his bed and killing him nearly four years ago is now competent to stand trial. FOX 4 is learning more about what that means and how his capital murder case could proceed.
The case has been marked by delays as questions surrounding Brown's mental health were addressed. Brown's attorney stated shortly after the arrest that Brown was schizophrenic and had been released from a mental health facility just prior to the slaying.
After spending years in a state hospital, a judge in January of this year declared Brown competent to stand trial, meaning he is legally capable of understanding the charges against him.
Camera shows 18-year-old taking Dallas 4-year-old from his bed hours before his death
An arrest affidavit says a baby video monitoring system showed Darriynn Brown, 18, taking Cash Gernon, 4, from his bed just hours before the child's body was found in a southwest Dallas street.
Insanity Defense Expected
The death penalty was on the table. Brown’s defense attorney, Heath Harris, was expected to use an insanity defense, but after certain evidence, he informed Brown a plea deal was the best option.
"We realized we got 3 different doctors' reports that all say they don’t believe he qualifies for insanity," said Harris.
"Things like him hiding the knife once he gets back to his mom’s house. Also, taking a different direction to avoid cameras, you know."
What's next:
After 30 years, Brown will have the possibility of parole. Harris admits that possibility is very slim. Fox 4 also asked Harris if Brown ever disclosed to him why he murdered cash.
"That’s what the voices told him to do. The voices told him that Cash was special and that if he killed Cash he would get superhuman powers."
Shortly after brown pleaded guilty, prosecutors read out loud victim impact statements from Cash Gernon’s family. Family members called Brown a monster and a coward who ruined so many lives.
One statement read: "I hope you seek god while you are in prison because you need him worse than anyone I’ve ever known in my life."
Brown didn't have any real reaction to the statements and left the courtroom quietly.
The Source: Information in this article is from court records and previous FOX 4 coverage.