Michael A. Brown was 23 when he was shot and killed in Chicago, Illinois, on June 18, 2016. The shooting followed an altercation that witnesses described in varying ways; conflicting accounts and the neighborhood’s high crime rate complicated the investigation. Police identified potential suspects and arrested several people in connection with the case. The primary suspect, described in the text as a local gang member, was charged with first-degree murder. Prosecutors argued the killing was premeditated and pointed to prior threats; the defense said the shooting was self-defense.

The case went to trial with witness testimony, forensic and expert evidence presented. A jury found the primary suspect guilty of first-degree murder and imposed a lengthy prison sentence. Michael’s family also filed a civil lawsuit seeking damages related to his death and its effects on them.