A federal lawsuit has been filed against Jackson State University and several officials following the wrongful arrest of a man in connection with the fatal shooting of a JSU student. The lawsuit was initiated by Shirley Brown, the mother of Joshua Brown, who was wrongfully accused in the death of Jaylen Burns.
According to a report by WAPT, the lawsuit was filed on Sept. 17 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi. Defendants named in the suit include Jackson State University, the university’s campus police department, former interim President Elayne Hayes Anthony, former police Chief Herman Horton, Hinds County Sheriff Tyree Jones, and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., of which Burns was a member.
Shirley Brown alleges that the investigation conducted by these parties was grossly negligent and reckless, leading to her son’s wrongful arrest. The court documents claim that the JSU campus police obtained an arrest warrant for Joshua Brown based on statements provided by fraternity members that she says were false.
The tragic shooting took place in Oct. 2023 at the University Pointe Apartments during JSU’s homecoming weekend, when Burns attempted to intervene in a fight involving one of his fraternity brothers. Following the altercation, Burns tried to drive himself to the hospital but collapsed before reaching it. He was taken to a hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
In her lawsuit, Shirley Brown contends that the allegations against her son were not only unfounded but also hurried, resulting in significant emotional and financial distress for Joshua Brown. She asserts that he was miles away at a Krispy Kreme location in Hattiesburg at the time of the incident and that crucial information was withheld from the judge who issued the arrest warrant.
This report is based on information from WAPT.