Can anyone offer any insight on why Dr. Jerome Brown from Bellaire, TX, would be testifying in a murder trial regarding the defendant's psychological condition at the time of the offense.

Jerry Brown,Ph.D. has done probably 5-10k evaluations viz. CST or MSO over the past 30 years. He was long-time one of the contractors for MHMRA who provided jail forensic services in Harris County when they did so using contract psychologists as opposed to in-house staffers. He is licensed as a psychologist in the State of Texas. I know him only as a colleague, but find him to be a no-nonsence, calls-it-like-he-sees-it sort of person. Others on the listserv will have had trial contact.

It would be a safe bet that he's going to try to support an insanity defense or some type of diminished capacity issue. I'd call him up and ask him. The worst that could happen is that he doesn't talk to you and, even then, you can cross him at trial about his refusal to discuss the case with you while you're just trying to see that justice is done. Of course, the defense must give you a whole whopping 20 days' notice of the insanity defense... but that sure beats the 10 days that it used to be. He does a lot of work in Harris County. Give the Harris County DA's office a call and ask for one of the felony court chiefs. I'm sure they can give you some greater insight on him. Good luck.

Had him on the other side of a robbery case years ago where he provided a report that the defendant did not have the pyschological profile consistent with one that would commit the crime as alleged. We plead the case before trial, but I planned on challenging his opinion as soft science since it was based wholly on a single interview without any testing. Maybe he just didn't get paid enough(?)

Good Grief! That would be a bold claim, no wonder I don't do that many cases as I could never find data meeting a Daubert challenge to offer such a statement. Gee, I never thought Jerry was so willing to go so far out on a limb..which shows you the value of infrequent contact as a predictor of behavior.