Suspected murderer is dragged out of courtroom kicking and screaming as she insists she shot boyfriend dead in self-defense

Ashanti Brown, 23, appeared in court Friday on a second-degree murder charge in connection with the August 30 slaying of her 26-year-old boyfriend, Ian Pleasant

The pretrial detention hearing descended into chaos after Escambia County Sheriff’s Office investigator Ashley Wallace took the stand to testify

Proceeding with the hearing without the defendant, Judge Matt Gordon noted that Brown’s behavior would be taken into consideration when determining whether she should remain in pretrial detention

He then found there is a substantial probability that the defendant ‘did commit this second-degree homicide’ , Judge Brown said in granting the state’s motion for pretrial detention in the case

Brown was denied bond as the judge took ‘into account her inability to control her behavior in the courtroom,’ in determining that she does pose a risk to the community

Ashanti Brown is charged in in Escambia County, Florida, with second-degree murder in connection with the August 30, shooting death of her boyfriend, Ian Pleasant. On Friday Sept. 4, she was dragged out of her pretrial detention, protesting that it was all about self-defense

A 23-year-old Florida woman was dragged out of an Escambia County courtroom while screaming that she shot her boyfriend in self-defense after she refused to leave the witness stand.
Ashanti Brown appeared in court Friday on a second-degree murder charge in connection with the shooting death of her boyfriend.
26-year-old Ian Pleasant shot dead at their at their Madison Shores apartment on August 30. His girlfriend Ashanti Brown reported the incident, the next day.
Charged with second-degree murder, Brown’s pretrial detention hearing descended into chaos after Escambia County Sheriff’s Office investigator Ashley Wallace took the stand to testify, according to a court reporter for the Pensacola News Journal.
Brown could not contain herself after Wallace answered prosecutors’ questions.
‘What about him beating on me? He was beating my face!’ Brown shouted through tears. ‘I didn’t do nothing!’
She attempted to remain on the stand to plead her innocence, but deputies physically removed her from the courtroom.
Brown’s screams echoed from the secure inmate hallway back into the courtroom.

Investigators said Ian Pleasant [photo], was shot in the back. However, as she was led out of the courtroom Brown was screaming that she shot him in self-defense

Judge Matt Gordon decided to proceed with the hearing without Brown and noted that her behavior would be taken into consideration when determining whether she should remain in pretrial detention.
‘From the evidence I heard today … I’m going to find that there is a substantial probability that the defendant did commit this second-degree homicide,’ Gordon said.
He added that his decision was based on the evidence presented and ‘also taking into account her inability to control her behavior in the courtroom in making my determination that she does pose a risk to the community. I’ll grant the state’s motion for pretrial detention in this case.’
Brown was denied bond.
According to an arrest affidavit cited by Law & Crime, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office received a call reporting a shooting at the Madison Shores Apartments on August 31.
Around the same time, authorities received a report that a woman was threatening suicide at a hotel.

Investigators said Brown’s account of how Pleasant was killed were inconsistent. She initially claimed he charged her but later stated a version of events in which she claimed her boyfriend grabbed the gun during a struggle, causing it to discharge

An arrest affidavit said the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded August 31 to a call for a shooting at the Madison Shores apartments. Around the same time, they received another call about a woman threatening suicide at a hotel.
Deputies found Brown at the hotel making statements that she killed her boyfriend at their Madison Shores apartment the previous day.
“I didn’t mean to, I’m sorry,” she said while crying, per the affidavit. “He hit me in the face. I’m going to prison.”
Brown later called Pleasant her “best friend.”
She and Pleasant were at a birthday party when he discovered she had been cheating on him, the affidavit said. Getting home, the two later got into an argument and Pleasant placed a gun on the kitchen table.
Brown told deputies she grabbed the gun and pointed it at him. Pleasant allegedly said “what the f— are you going to do?” before rushing toward her. She fired the gun, according to the affidavit.

Following her courtroom outburst Ashanti Brown, [photo], was denied bond and remains held in the Escambia County Jail

Brown allegedly told investigators that Pleasant responded, ‘What the f*** are you going to do?’ before lunging toward her.
She then fired the gun, police said.
Investigators, however, said Brown’s account was inconsistent with a later version of events in which she claimed Pleasant grabbed the gun during a struggle, causing it to discharge.
Officials also said Brown’s story did not align with physical evidence because Pleasant was shot in the back.
According to the affidavit, Brown did not call 911. Instead, she allegedly contacted a friend who helped her clean up the scene, dispose of evidence.
She allegedly drove Pleasant’s car to a family friend’s home, throwing the gun and Pleasant’s phone out of the window on the way. Brown said she gave a doorbell camera to the man who helped her, the affidavit stated.
Investigators spoke to the man, but he denied helping Brown dispose of evidence. Investigators also interviewed the suspected accomplice, who denied any involvement.
Detectives finding Brown’s story did not align with physical evidence determined that her claim of self-defense did not make sense, because Pleasant was shot in the back.
She faces charges of second-degree murder and tampering with physical evidence.
She remains held in the Escambia County Jail and is scheduled to appear for her next hearing on September 25.