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Appeals Court Affirms Convictions Of Brockton Murderer, Strikes Down Bid For New Trial



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Contact: Beth Stone 508-584-8120

BROCKTON – The Massachusetts Appeals Court has affirmed the convictions and denied the bid for a new trial of a man who murdered a Brockton man, Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz has announced. 

In 2017, a jury found Linanel Brown-Madison, now 30, guilty of one count each of Voluntary Manslaughter, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm and Unlawful Possession of a Loaded Firearm. Brown-Madison was sentenced to serve 12-15 years in State Prison on the Voluntary Manslaughter charge and 4-5 years in State Prison concurrent for Unlawful Possession of a Firearm. Brown-Madison was also sentenced to serve 2 ½ years in the House of Corrections concurrent for Unlawful Possession a Loaded Firearm.

On January 30, 2013 at approximately 10:26 pm, Brockton Police and emergency medical personnel responded to a report of a person shot at 12 Auburn Street. Police found the victim, 21 year-old Joshua LeClair, bleeding from a single gunshot wound to the back. LeClair was transported to Boston Medical Center for treatment. Over several days, LeClair’s condition deteriorated and he died on February 4, 2013. The Chief Office of the Medical Examiner reported that LeClair’s cause of death was complications from a gunshot wound to the neck and the manner was determined to be homicide.

Before his death, LeClair told Brockton Police he had been walking down Auburn Street with a friend when they were approached from behind by a man. The man attempted to rob LeClair before taking out a gun and firing at LeClair. The man fled the scene in a car. LeClair ultimately identified Brown-Madison to police as the man who attempted to rob and shoot him before his death.

Brown-Madison appealed from his convictions and subsequently moved for a new trial. In an unpublished decision today, the Massachusetts Appeals Court rejected all of the defendant’s claims on appeal and upheld the defendant’s convictions.

In their opinion, the Appeals Court wrote, “In this consolidated appeal from his (Brown-Madison’s) convictions and the order denying his new trial motion, the defendant claims the prosecutor’s closing argument and the judge’s self-defense instruction created a substantial risk of miscarriage of justice, and that he received ineffective assistance of counsel. We affirm.”

DA Cruz said, “This has been a tragedy for the family of Joshua LeClair. 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.”

January 24, 2022