Jimmy Brooks and Michael Carruth were sentenced to death and remains on Alabama Death Row for the murder of twelve year old Brett Bowyer. According to court documents Jimmy Brooks and Michael Carruth would shoot the twelve year old three times in the head causing his death. Jimmy Brooks and Michael Carruth would be arrested, convicted and sentenced to death
Jimmy Brooks 2021 Information
| Inmate: | BROOKS, JIMMY LEE JR |
| AIS: | 0000Z704 |
| Institution: | HOLMAN PRISON |
Michael Carruth 2021 Information
| Inmate: | CARRUTH, MICHAEL DAVID |
| AIS: | 0000Z700 |
| Institution: | HOLMAN PRISON |
Jimmy Brooks More News
Two years after killing a Phenix City 12-year-old, Jimmy Lee Brooks Jr. is sentenced to death.
He’s on death row, two months after a jury found him guilty of shooting and killing Brett Bowyer, a crime that happened in February, 2002.
Thursday’s sentencing was in Talladega, AL because of change of venue. News Leader 9 had the only TV news camera at the hearing.
Handcuffed and wearing a white prison suit, Brooks walked into court to hear his fate. Judge Al Johnson described the crime in detail, saying the defendant shot 12-year-old Bowyer 3 times in the head.
“They defendant and his accomplice laughed and joked as they threw dirt on the dead child and his father,” Judge Johnson said, from his bench.
The victim’s family say they’re so wounded and angry, this is not closure, but tell us, the judge sentencing Brooks to death is justice served.
“We’re satisfied with the decision. That’s the best we could get,” the victim’s cousin Terry Roberson said. “And the healing’s just ongoing, it’s daily.”
And we asked, what would he say, if was one-on-one with Brooks?
Roberson told us, “I wouldn’t say nothing. I’d strangle him.”
Brooks wasn’t talking either, but the jury foreman from February’s trial spoke up. He was in court Thursday and says capital punishment is the right decision in this case.
“I felt compelled to be here, because I wanted to see how it all ended,” jury foreman Mike Gibbs said. “It just sorta tore at me, but I felt I needed to be here.”
Russell County’s district attorney says execution is the closest to justice as he can get in this case.
Ken Davis said, “In 26 years, I’ve never tried a case that cried out more for, if you will, the death penalty.”
“He (Brooks) is resigned to the fact that he’s gotten the death penalty, but he also understands it’s just the first step in many steps that will have to be taken before he is executed, if he is,” defense attorney Joel Collins said.
Attorneys say appeals are expected for at least a decade.
Collins says Brooks doesn’t deserve to die, because he didn’t plan to kill the 12-year-old and showed remorse.
Judge Johnson relieved Brooks’ two court-appointed defense attorneys of their duties and appointed counsel from Hunstville for the appeals process.
Brooks is now moved to the state prison in Atmoore, Alabama, alonside dozens of others on death row. Brook’s accomplice, Michael Carruth is also there. A jury convicted him of the same murder last year in Russell County.
Stay tuned to news leader nine for any updates on the appeals process.
https://www.wtvm.com/story/1772533/child-killer-gets-death-penalty/