ONE BY ONE

The long-pending murder cases are being dispatched...

◼ Matthew Brown gets sentenced 40 years for killing Neil Decker today which was Decker's birthday - John Chiv/Words Worth 3/11/15 3:08 PM

Friends of Neil Decker told me before court opened today was Neil Decker's birthday. Family and friends sobbed as they read victim statements.

Decker's mother said after her statement in court,"You motherfucker I hope you rot in he'll "

Matthew Brown flashed a peace sign and smiled at Decker's loved one as he was lead away by the bailiff.

Chiv's coverage of this case:

◼ Matthew Brown sentencing on March 11 - 2/17/15

◼ "So what the heck is all this about? Doesn't matter what I believe, what Mr. Elvine-Kreiss believes, it matters what you believe." - 2/14/15
◼ Penalties and potential years in prison Matthew Brown could get for shooting Neil Decker - 2/14/15
◼ "This is a third world country, wild west in Humboldt County" - 2/14/15

◼ Jury finds Matthew Brown guilty of second degree murder - 2/13/15
◼ Verdict in for the Matthew Brown case...stay tuned - 2/13/15
◼ Closing arguments over, jury deliberating Matthew Brown's fate 2/13/15
◼ Matthew Brown was asked to come to the Johnson home to work out differences. Matthew Brown came over carrying a loaded gun." - 2/13/15

◼ Who will the Matthew Brown jury believe? HCSO denies any connection between Sohum murders despite defense probing - 2/12/15
◼ "I was waiting for the day Neil was going to kill me"; Matthew Brown infers who Alderpoint 8 leader was and who they reported to - 2/12/15

◼ Is there a connection between other unsolved murders and the shooting Matthew Brown is charged with? - 2/10/15

◼ "I didn't know I was going to Murder Mountain"; initially Brown denied shooting Decker; says Sheriff deputies saved his life; "I was scared as fuck" - 2/7/15
◼ Neil Decker died of "a single, shotgun wound to the chest" and "his blood was positive for meth" - 2/7/15

◼ "I know some of the things are not to be talked about in the community" - 2/5/15
◼ "He came home and he was really scared; he didn't know what to do; that he just came at him and he had to defend himself" - 2/5/15

◼ Day 2: Key Prosecution witness in Brown case decimated on cross by defense - 2/4/15
◼ Matthew Brown's ex-gf confirms victim called him "bitch boy" and provoked him into fight - 2/4/15

◼ "He shot me in my fucking heart" is what victim's girlfriend testifies in the Rancho Sequoia murder case - 2/3/15
◼ First day of Murder Mountain homicide covers meth, vigilante justice and the Alderpoint 8 - 2/3/15
◼ Minutes before opening arguments for Brown, jury told "sudden change" - 2/3/15

◼ Jury selected for Alderpoint homicide suspect Matthew Brown; opening arguments tommorow? - 2/2/15

◼ Rancho Sequoia murder suspect Matthew Brown finally starts jury trial - 1/26/15

◼ Alderpoint murder case trial delayed; dates expected to be set next week - 1/9/15

◼ Alderpoint murder suspect Matthew Brown spares us theatrics today while his jury trial date is confirmed - 1/5/15

◼ Matthew Brown murder case jury trial delayed a week 12/17/14

◼ Alderpoint murder suspect Matthew Brown jury trial to proceed on January 5 - 12/3/14

◼ Rancho Sequoia victim identified, male 57 years old - 7/23/14

◼ Suspect identified in Alderpoint shooting - 7/21/14

Who will the Matthew Brown jury believe?

◼ HCSO denies any connection between Sohum murders despite defense probing - John Chiv/Words Worth

Until last Friday, prosecution witnesses were helping the defense a bit more than the prosecution with their testimony. As the Matthew Brown case concluded Friday, prosecution played two interviews: one which was video-taped right after Matthew Brown was arrested and the second 24 hours later.

In those interviews, the only thing that hurt Matthew Brown was that he denied shooting Neil Decker. Monday through Wednesday morning, the prosecution and defense presented witnesses and Brown's attorney, Mr. Greg Elvine-Kreiss tried to elicit something definitive to build a connection between his client's case and the unsolved murders of Scott Johnson and Garrett Rodriguez. In this post, I am including testimony from when HCSO Sgt. Diana Freese, Investigator Todd Fulton and Detective Jennifer Turner....

So far, no suspect has been identified in the murder of Scott Johnson, the only eye witness, all relevant witnesses agree on was present in the room when Brown shot Decker. When Mr. Elvine-Kreiss tried to question Sgt. Freese about the unsolved murder of Johnson, DDA Kelly Neel objected to this question and the Judge sustained the objection.... KEEP READING

◼ "I was waiting for the day Neil was going to kill me"; Matthew Brown infers who Alderpoint 8 leader was and who they reported to

...Brown said that he was talking to Johnson, he was talking about the welder that Decker stole from Johnson. Anther witness, "Hana" said that Decker (who was upstairs in the office area across the bedroom with "Hana") went in twice in the room and told Brown to mind his own business but Brown said that Decker came in twice and glared at him but he came in a third time and said, "I need to keep his name out of my mouth. and that he was sick of me and that it's over."

Then Brown said Decker reached behind his back (like he had many times before; those time Decker acted like he was reaching for a gun). Given what he had just heard from Decker, Brown was afraid that that was the moment he had been afraid of and that he was going to get killed or shot. "I thought that was the moment."

That is when he shot Decker.

"Did you feel forced to shoot Neil at that moment," asked Mr. Elvine-Kreiss.

"I felt cornered" said Brown. "I had nothing to gain from it."