In the early morning hours of June 6, 2015, a violent confrontation at a party in Portsmouth, Virginia, abruptly ended the life of 27-year-old Jamal Spratley. The male victim was discovered by police at approximately 3:15 a.m. in the 2700 block of Chicago Avenue, suffering from a gunshot wound to his upper body. Tragically, Spratley succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Portsmouth Police Department quickly identified 33-year-old Raynard Reginald Brown, Jr.
as the primary suspect in the fatal shooting. A manhunt ensued, and on June 11, 2015, Brown was apprehended by U.S. Marshals in Newport News, where he was found hiding in a house. The arrest was the result of a collaborative effort between the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force and the Newport News Police Gang and Fugitive Units. Following his capture, Brown was charged with first-degree murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Authorities also publicly sought another man, Datavius 'Junior' Harris, who they believed might have vital information regarding the case.
During his trial, Raynard Reginald Brown, Jr. asserted an insanity defense, with a court-appointed forensic clinical psychologist testifying that he suffered from schizoaffective disorder. The jury ultimately did not convict him of first-degree murder. Instead, Brown was found guilty of the lesser-included offense of voluntary manslaughter. He was acquitted of the accompanying firearm charge.
