Brockton Killer’s Conviction Upheld by Appeals Court
BROCKTON — A Brockton man convicted of voluntary manslaughter after a fatal 2013 shooting will not be getting a new trial after the Massachusetts Appeals Court affirmed his convictions on Monday.
The Plymouth County District Attorney's Office announced that Linanel Brown-Madison, now 30, was found guilty by a jury in 2017 of voluntary manslaughter and illegally possessing a loaded firearm in the killing of 21-year-old Joshua LeClair.
LeClair was fatally shot in the back after an attempted robbery gone wrong in January 2013.
Before his death, the victim told Brockton police that he and a friend had been walking down Auburn Street when a man approached them from behind and tried to rob LeClair before shooting him and fleeing in a car.
The shooting victim identified Brown-Madison to police as the suspect before his death, according to the D.A.'s office.
After his conviction, Brown-Madison appealed, claiming that there was a "miscarriage of justice" and asking for a new trial.
Among other arguments, the defense claimed that prosecutors wrongly stated that Brown-Madison admitted the victim was fleeing when he was shot.
However, the Appeals Court found that the defendant had, in fact, made the admission, before later contradicting his testimony.
"There was no error, and thus, no risk that justice miscarried," the court wrote in its decision on Monday.
"This has been a tragedy for the family of Joshua LeClair," Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz said.
"Our office has continued to fight hard on behalf of this victim, and I am pleased that the Appeals Court affirmed the convictions in this case."