ST PAUL, Minn. — The man accused of firing the shot that killed an innocent woman during a dispute inside a crowded St. Paul nightspot has been found guilty of second-degree murder.
A Ramsey County jury deliberated for just over eight hours before determining that Terry Brown was responsible for the murder of 27-year-old Marquisha Wiley at the Truck Park bar back in October of 2021, and the wounding of 15 others. Along with the second-degree murder charge, the defendant was found guilty on four counts of attempted murder, and one of illegally possessing a firearm.
During closing arguments Tuesday morning, Brown’s attorney Stephen Grigsby pointed out that co-defendant Devondre Phillips had already been convicted of attempted murder and fired at Brown first, albeit by a fraction of a second. Grisby told jurors that supports Brown's claim of self-defense.
“What would a reasonable person do during the course of eight attempts to murder him with a firearm at six feet away? He did the only thing available to him to stop the attempted murder,” Grigsby said.
Prosecutors used surveillance footage from the bar that showed Brown advancing on Phillips with a gun in his hand as Phillips shot Brown’s friend in the stomach. Images showed Brown continued advancing until the shootout between Brown and Phillips commenced, with victim Wiley getting caught in the crossfire.
In February, a jury convicted Phillips on eight counts of attempted murder for his role in the fatal shootout.
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