Local police arrested a prominent senator on the morning of July 18, according to Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office. This is not the first time the 44-year-old Louisiana senator has faced domestic abuse charges. Criminal defense representation has suggested there may be an alternate cause for his change in behavior, however.
According to the sheriff’s office, the senator was booked early in the morning on a misdemeanor domestic abuse charge after he allegedly became angry with his wife and bit her forearm. He has since been released on $5,000 bond. This is his second such arrest in less than a year. Authorities arrested him eight months ago for allegedly punching a woman in the eye during an argument at a hotel.
Brown has pleaded not guilty to the earlier charge and appears set to do so again. He has told media outlets that he cannot recall the details of the alleged incident with his wife, citing a 1991 car accident he believes may have influence his cognitive functions. Specifically, he says he is consulting with a neurosurgeon to determine if the injuries he sustained in that accident now influence how his body reacts to drinking alcohol.
As the brain is not a fully understood organ, there could be scientific precedent for the senator’s assertions to behavior-changing brain damage. In a criminal defense sense, this could be used as a defense in court if expert testimony can be attained supporting his claims. The burden of proof in this case, however, ultimately rests with Louisiana authorities.
Source: nola.com, “Louisiana state Sen. Troy Brown arrested, again, on domestic abuse battery charge”, Jonathan Bullington, July 18, 2016