Did brain damage lead to being charged with a crime?

The lasting effects from a traumatic brain injury are often difficult to judge. After being involved in a life-threatening car accident in 1991, Louisiana State Senator Troy Brown suffered damage to his brain that left him with what he considered to be minor short-term memory loss — until recently. After being charged with a crime of which he has no memory, he now believes that the problem may be more serious than he previously thought.

According to reports, Brown was spending time with a “side friend” and at least one other woman a Louisiana hotel when he got into an argument with a friend of his friend. Two women then decided to leave. As they waited for an elevator, it is alleged that Brown began arguing with the woman again. At some point during the argument, his “side friend” attempted to intervene, and Brown is accused of hitting his friend in the face.

Officers with the New Orleans Police Department arrested Brown for simple battery at the hotel. Brown does not remember all of the details surrounding the incident, and now believes that his memory issues contributed to the situation. He says that he now wonders if consuming alcohol exacerbates his condition. He recently entered a plea of not guilty to the charge.

Brown intimates that his medical condition is to blame for the altercation and the fact that he was charged with a crime. Even though Brown regrets the incident, he does not believe that he should be held criminally responsible for his actions. Evidence pertaining to his brain damage and how it may affect him will undoubtedly become a focal point of his criminal defense.

Source: ksla.com, “La. state senator pleads not guilty to domestic battery“, Nov. 30, 2015