JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – A New Orleans man accused of killing a fellow Jackson State University (JSU) student claims he did it out of self-defense.
Flynn Brown, 22, of New Jersey, was found dead inside a vehicle on JSU’s campus on Friday, December 2. He had been fatally shot in the head. Randall Smith, 20, of New Orleans, was taken into custody.
Smith was later charged with murder. He made his first appearance in Hinds County court on Monday, December 5. He was denied bond and appointed a public defender.
During a preliminary hearing on Thursday, December 15, Smith claimed he killed Brown in self-defense. According to Smith, Brown had repeatedly taken his food and belongings in the past. He said Brown had taken doughnuts out of his hand, and the matter escalated. He claimed that Brown began to choke him until he couldn’t breathe, so he grabbed a gun and shot Brown in self-defense.
Suitemates said they didn’t hear a gunshot, but they heard loud music. One of the suitemates, who is a JSU football player, said he was getting ready for practice when he saw the door open and blood inside. He told one of his coaches who then called campus police.
Investigators are not sure who the gun belonged to. Video footage showed an unidentified person going to the Dodge Charger that Brown was found in around 2:30 a.m. According to investigators, it appeared that Smith tried to flee and cover up the scene.
At the preliminary hearing on Thursday, Smith was given a $200,000 bond and 270 days of GPS monitoring. He won’t be allowed to have a weapon or leave the state unless authorized. If any of the conditions are violated, his bond will be revoked.