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Appeals court upholds conviction in murder of Southport police officer

Appeals court upholds conviction in murder of Southport police officer

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Indiana Court of Appeals has upheld the murder conviction of the man who killed Southport Police Lt. Aaron Allan.

The unanimous three-judge decision was handed down Thursday in the case of Jason Dane Brown.

Brown was convicted of murder for shooting and killing Lt. Allan following a traffic crash in July of 2017.

Lt. Allan had stopped at the crash scene and was attempting to assist Brown.

Investigators said Brown was hanging upside down in his vehicle after it rolled over when he shot Allan 10 times.

The appeals court rejected Brown’s argument that he was suffering the effects of a seizure when he fired the gun and did not intend to kill Allan.

“The State presented evidence Brown was able to answer questions from and provide his driver’s license to Lieutenant Allan prior to the shooting and shortly after the accident,” Judge Melissa May wrote.  “Additionally, he shouted, attempting to locate his gun, while Lieutenant Allan was in the vehicle rendering aid.  Brown shot his gun until it was empty, that is, eighteen shots, ten of which hit Lieutenant Allan.”

The opinion also quoted a doctor’s testimony that Brown did not suffer a significant head injury or seizure as a result of the crash.

Brown is currently serving a 55-year prison sentence for Allan’s death.

Prosecutors had originally announced they hoped to seek the death penalty in Brown’s case.

The state instead dropped the request in exchange for a judge to hear the case instead of a jury.

Marion Superior Court Judge Mark Stoner later ruled the prosecution had not established evidence for a sentence of life without parole.