A Florida court hearing erupted Friday when a woman accused of killing her boyfriend was forcibly removed from the courtroom as she cried out that the shooting was an act of self-defense.
Ashanti Brown, 23, was in court on a second-degree murder charge tied to the August 30 death of her boyfriend, 26-year-old Ian Pleasant.
The pretrial detention hearing spiraled into disorder after Escambia County Sheriff’s Office investigator Ashley Wallace began testifying, a court reporter for the Pensacola News Journal reported.
Brown became visibly overwhelmed after Wallace responded to questions from prosecutors.
‘What about him beating on me? He was beating my face!’ Brown yelled while crying. ‘I didn’t do nothing!’
She attempted to remain on the stand to plead her innocence, but deputies physically removed her from the courtroom, according to the outlet.
Brown’s screams echoed from the secure inmate hallway back into the courtroom.
Judge Matt Gordon decided to proceed with the hearing without Brown and noted that her behavior would be taken into consideration when determining whether she should remain in pretrial detention.
‘From the evidence I heard today … I’m going to find that there is a substantial probability that the defendant did commit this second-degree homicide,’ Gordon said.
Ashanti Brown, 23, was dragged out of her pretrial detention hearing on Friday. She is charged with second-degree murder in connection with the August 30 slaying of her 26-year-old boyfriend, Ian Pleasant
Brown screamed that she was defending herself from Pleasant (pictured), who investigators said was shot in the back
He added that his decision was based on the evidence presented and ‘also taking into account her inability to control her behavior in the courtroom in making my determination that she does pose a risk to the community. I’ll grant the state’s motion for pretrial detention in this case.’
Brown was denied bond.
According to an arrest affidavit cited by Law & Crime, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office received a call reporting a shooting at the Madison Shores Apartments on August 31.
Around the same time, authorities received a report that a woman was threatening suicide at a hotel.
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According to the affidavit, Brown was found at the hotel, where she reportedly cried and told officers: ‘I didn’t mean to, I’m sorry.’
‘He hit me in the face. I’m going to prison.’
Brown told officers the couple had attended a birthday party when she discovered Pleasant was cheating on her.
They returned home, and during an argument, Pleasant placed a gun on a table. Brown told deputies she picked up the weapon and pointed it at him, according to the affidavit.
Brown was denied bond and remains held in the Escambia County Jail
Investigators said Brown’s account of how Pleasant was killed were inconsistent. She initially claimed he charged her but later stated a version of events in which she claimed her boyfriend grabbed the gun during a struggle, causing it to discharge
Brown allegedly told investigators that Pleasant responded, ‘What the f*** are you going to do?’ before lunging toward her.
She then fired the gun, police said.
Investigators, however, said Brown’s account was inconsistent with a later version of events in which she claimed Pleasant grabbed the gun during a struggle, causing it to discharge.
Officials also said Brown’s story did not align with physical evidence because Pleasant was shot in the back.
According to the affidavit, Brown did not call 911. Instead, she allegedly contacted a friend who helped her dispose of evidence.
Investigators also interviewed the suspected accomplice, who denied any involvement, according to the outlet.
Brown faces charges of second-degree murder and tampering with physical evidence.
She remains held in the Escambia County Jail and is scheduled to appear for her next hearing on September 25.