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UPDATE: Fight started over $400
Published: May 19, 2010

By Michael Copley
Staff Writer

Sobs broke the silence as mourners moved quietly into St. John Neumann Catholic Church Tuesday for the funeral of Rashad Jamel Brown.

Brown, 19, died after a fight May 13 that started over a $400 debt, according to Sheriff Greg Neal.

19-year-old Dennis Edward Merchant, Jr. is charged with second degree murder, two counts of malicious wounding, and three counts of assault in the commission of a felony.

Neal said there were at least six people at Brown’s house on Bell Road when Merchant went there May 13 demanding the money. Merchant was alone.

Merchant reportedly told Brown he wasn’t leaving until he got the money he said he was owed; Brown is said to have told him that he didn’t have it.

There was a scuffle. Brown was stabbed after he hit Merchant. Two other people- who tried to assist Brown- were injured in the melee.

After the fight, Merchant ran into the woods that surround the home and Brown fired several shots after him, according to witnesses.

Brown died a short time later.

Hours after the altercation, a tactical team found marijuana “paraphernalia” during a search of the property, Neal said.

A sheriff’s investigation continues. Check powhatantoday.com for updates.


Related Articles:
One man dead in Powhatan, another is charged with second degree murder
Pastor warns mourners at Powhatan funeral
Fight started over $400



Reader Comments


The Truth Teller
May. 26, 2010, 06:28 AM

Have no worries Ed.  Corruption Detective is a regular customer/guest of law enforcement.  In his own strange way, by setting such a poor example of how a person should behave, he actually provides a service to society by showing everyone what not to do.  Of course we all hope one day he will start to learn from his mistakes and take full responsibility for his actions and conduct in life.  But due to the fact he has no conscience he will most likely just continue victimizing others and blaming those whom he victimizes for his behavior.  So lock your doors at night Ed and be aware people like the Corruption Detective are out there looking for ways to take advantage of you.  But take some solace knowing he will spend the majority of his life either physically locked away in prison or quite harmlessly locked away mentally within his own mind lashing out at society for circumstances he himself has created.


ED of Powhatan
May. 25, 2010, 11:10 PM

Corruption Detective,

The Powhatan Sheriffs Office is here to protect the citizens of Powhatan County.  They do not sit around and think of ways to “plant evidence”.  If you are so quick to make accusations, I would love to see you go through the training and become a police officer as well.  Maybe then you would appreciate what they do.


corruption detective of moseley
May. 25, 2010, 11:36 AM

Tactical Team, your kiddin’ right? Was this the p-town TAC- TEAM and DETECTIVES that go in and get the evidence and crime scene set the way they want it to look? and then call in the state police investigators to process it!!!!  And TO GEMINI, really we still don’t know what happened all we know is what P.S.O wants us to know, THE COMM ATTORNEY’S office will let us know what happened “AS IT BEST SUITS THEM”!!!!!!


Gemini of Richmond
May. 19, 2010, 03:02 PM

Stupidity of the highest level. No one here is a saint and it seems pure luck the woods that night weren’t littered with the corpses of more victims or worse innocent bystanders once the shooting started. This is no race war. This is an idiot without the commonsense not to walk into a bad situation of his own making panicking and defending himself. A group of young men acting like thugs. Leave race and family out of it. Now we know what happened.


Really?
May. 19, 2010, 11:23 AM

Odd, Really?  “Hours after the altercation, a tactical team found marijuana “paraphernalia” during a search of the property, Neal said.


Wonder Why of Powhatan
May. 19, 2010, 10:44 AM

Wonder why he would have owed Merchant that $400 or why Merchant was under the impression he did. JW seems odd.




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