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'''Ossie Bluege Brown''' (March 19, 1926 – August 28, 2008) was a [[Baton Rouge]] [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] who served two six-year terms from 1972 to 1984, as the district attorney for East Baton Rouge Parish, [[Louisiana]]. In 1970, he successfully defended [[United States Army]] Sergeant David Mitchell in the [[My Lai]] Massacre cases. Brown was also a talented [[musician]] and an active [[Southern Baptist]] layman.

'''Ossie Bluege Brown''' (March 19, 1926 – August 28, 2008) was a [[Baton Rouge]] [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] who served two six-year terms from 1972 to 1984, as the district attorney for East Baton Rouge Parish, [[Louisiana]]. In 1970, he successfully defended [[United States Army]] Sergeant David Mitchell in the [[My Lai]] Massacre cases. Brown was also a talented [[musician]] and an active [[Southern Baptist]] layman.

Ossie (pronounced OH SEE) Brown was born to George F. Brown and the former Lovie Phenald in Winnfield]], the traditional home of the [[Huey Long|Long]] political faction. He was reared in Baker in East Baton Rouge Parish and graduated from Baker High School, where he was named president of Boys State and composed the Baker High School ''alma mater.'' He attended Napa Junior College in Napa, [[California]], and then entered the [[United States Navy]] during [[World War II]]. Thereafter, he procured his Bachelor of Arts in pre-law from [[Louisiana State University]] in Baton Rouge, at which he was the university drum major. He lettered in [[basketball]] and [[tennis]] and was president of Sigma Chi fraternity. Brown then graduated from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at LSU and launched a half-century-long criminal law practice in Baton Rouge. Prior to his tenure as district attorney, he was the Baton Rouge municipal court judge.<ref name=obit>''Advocate'' Obituaries: Ossie Brown, ''The Baton Rouge Advocate,'' August 30, 2008: http://www.legacy.com/theadvocate/DeathNotices.asp?Page=Lifestory&PersonId=116574977</ref> In 1970, former LSU quarterback and future East Baton Rouge Parish Mayor-President Pat Screen joined Brown's firm.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.225batonrouge.com/news/2008/oct/28/walter-monsour-most-powerful-man-youve-never-voted/|author=James E. Shelledy|title=Walter Monsour, the most powerful man you’ve never voted for|publisher=Batonrouge.com|accessdate=December 2, 2009}}</ref>​

Ossie (pronounced OH SEE) Brown was born to George F. Brown and the former Lovie Phenald in Winnfield]], the traditional home of the [[Huey Long|Long]] political faction. He was reared in Baker in East Baton Rouge Parish and graduated from Baker High School, where he was named president of Boys State and composed the Baker High School ''alma mater.'' He attended Napa Junior College in Napa, [[California]], and then entered the [[United States Navy]] during [[World War II]]. Thereafter, he procured his Bachelor of Arts in pre-law from [[Louisiana State University]] in Baton Rouge, at which he was the university drum major. He lettered in [[basketball]] and [[tennis]] and was president of Sigma Chi fraternity. Brown then graduated from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at LSU and launched a half-century-long criminal law practice in Baton Rouge. Prior to his tenure as district attorney, he was the Baton Rouge municipal court judge.<ref name=obit>''Advocate'' Obituaries: Ossie Brown, ''The Baton Rouge Advocate,'' August 30, 2008: http://www.legacy.com/theadvocate/DeathNotices.asp?Page=Lifestory&PersonId=116574977</ref> In 1970, former LSU quarterback and future East Baton Rouge Parish Mayor-President James Patrick "Pat" Screen, Jr. (1943-1994) joined Brown's firm.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.225batonrouge.com/news/2008/oct/28/walter-monsour-most-powerful-man-youve-never-voted/|author=James E. Shelledy|title=Walter Monsour, the most powerful man you’ve never voted for|publisher=Batonrouge.com|accessdate=December 2, 2009}}</ref>​

==The My Lai case==

==The My Lai case==

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Brown's most memorable court victory was in the 1970 trial of Sergeant Mitchell (born 1940) held at Fort Hood near Killeen, [[Texas]]. Mitchell was accused by the Army of having committed war crimes against the [[Vietnam]]ese during the [[Vietnam War]]. Brown predicted that Mitchell's prosectors, who rested their arguments early, had not "proved their case beyond a reasonable doubt." The next day, Brown collapsed in his motel room and was later taken to a hospital in Temple in Bell County. The judge, Colonel George R. Robinson, adjourned the case until Brown's recovery. Mitchell was exonerated by the jury.<ref name=time>{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,909677-2,00.html|title=My Lai Trials Begin|publisher=''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]''|date=November 2, 1970|accessdate=September 21, 2019}}</ref>​

Brown's most memorable court victory was in the 1970 trial of Sergeant Mitchell (born 1940) held at Fort Hood near Killeen, [[Texas]]. Mitchell was accused by the Army of having committed war crimes against the [[Vietnam]]ese during the [[Vietnam War]]. Brown predicted that Mitchell's prosectors, who rested their arguments early, had not "proved their case beyond a reasonable doubt." The next day, Brown collapsed in his motel room and was later taken to a hospital in Temple in Bell County. The judge, Colonel George R. Robinson, adjourned the case until Brown's recovery. Mitchell was exonerated by the jury.<ref name=time>{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,909677-2,00.html|title=My Lai Trials Begin|publisher=''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]''|date=November 2, 1970|accessdate=September 21, 2019}}</ref>​

 

One of the witnesses against Mitchell was former radioman Charles Sledge (born 1947), an [[African American]] luggage-factory worker from Sardis in Panola County in northwestern [[Mississippi]]. Sledge said that he "positively" saw Mitchell shoot a group of Vietnamese women, children, and senior men who took cover in a ditch. Sledge also said that he saw Mitchell confer with [second Lieutenant William Calley, Jr., at the edge of the trench before the two opened fire on the villagers from about five or six feet away. "They were falling and screaming," Sledge testified. Calley, meanwhile, was tried November 16, 1970, at Fort Benning, [[Georgia]]. Brown brought out several discrepancies between Sledge's courtroom statements and his earlier testimony before Army investigators; one was Sledge's earlier claim that he "believed" Mitchell had fired into the ditch and his claim at the trial that he was "positive" that Mitchell had killed the civilians.<ref name=time/>​

One of the witnesses against Mitchell was former radioman Charles Sledge (born 1947), an [[African American]] luggage-factory worker from Sardis in Panola County in northwestern [[Mississippi]]. Sledge said that he "positively" saw Mitchell shoot a group of Vietnamese women, children, and senior men who took cover in a ditch. Sledge also said that he saw Mitchell confer with [second Lieutenant William Calley, Jr., at the edge of the trench before the two opened fire on the villagers from about five or six feet away. "They were falling and screaming," Sledge testified. Calley, meanwhile, was tried November 16, 1970, at Fort Benning, [[Georgia]]. Brown brought out several discrepancies between Sledge's courtroom statements and his earlier testimony before Army investigators; one was Sledge's earlier claim that he "believed" Mitchell had fired into the ditch and his claim at the trial that he was "positive" that Mitchell had killed the civilians.<ref name=time/>​

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