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Rynell Brooks-Brown, of Philadelphia, was found guilty of several counts related to his holding of a city woman hostage in February 2024, following a bench trial before Lycoming County Judge William Carlucci.
The incident began on the around 10 a.m. on Feb. 19, 2024, when following a verbal altercation, Brooks-Brown refused to allow the now-24-year-old victim leave a Timberland Apartment unit in the 500 block of Lycoming Street. The stand-off lasted several hours, ending only after the victim exited the apartment shortly after 2.p.m., followed by Brooks-Brown.
"If you don't stop 'expletive' playing with me, I'll hurt you," Brooks-Brown said to the victim as he put a gun to her head," she testified, according to Assistant District Attorney Lindsay Sweeley.
Standing in a bathroom, the victim was able to push Brooks-Brown away and lock herself inside. She then phoned a co-worker who contacted the police.
Brooks-Brown's conduct that day "caused a domino effect that affected an entire block, which had to be sealed off with caution tape," Sweeley told Carlucci.
Four officers on the scene were able to spot Brooks-Brown's hand holding a gun within the residence through a window, according to court testimony.
The stand-off created substantial risk of escalation due to the disruption of an entire block needing to be evacuated and a heightened police presence, which included a SWAT team and law enforcement from other counties.
Brooks-Brown, 22, refused repeated attempts by police to exit the residence, which included communicating with him via an intercom system.
At one point, Brooks-Brown ordered the victim to come out and tell them she was fine, ordering her to "fix this," Sweeley said.
In handing down his decision on the charges, Carlucci lauded the honesty of the victim.
"What I find remarkable is that she could have told a story that was far worse for," he told Brooks-Brown.
"She could have loaded up on her testimony and accused you of saying, 'if you come out, I'll shoot you,'" the judge said.
"She could have buried you, but she told the absolute truth and it was more favorable to you," Carlucci told the defendant.
Conversely, Carlucci left no question as to what he felt about the credibility of Brooks-Brown.
Not a word you said in that video was the truth. You were clearly trying to lie your way out of it," he told Brooks-Brown, referencing his interrogation video.
Specifically referencing the charge of recklessly endangering another person, Carlucci spoke of a case that he prosecuted during his time in the District Attorney's office, where one man accidentally shot another in the head, killing him while "goofing around."
"Everyone knew he did not intend to kill him. He thought the gun was not loaded," the judge said.
"A lot of people are in graves because of 'unloaded guns,'" Carlucci said, stressing that the gun in Brooks-Brown's hand could have easily gone off.
"You wanted to hold that gun to her head when you made that statement in order to terrorize her, and I'm convinced that's exactly what you did," Carlucci said.
Instead of ending the stand off, Brooks-Brown hid out inside the residence, causing police to take "extraordinary measures," resulting in great disruption of people's lives, raising the temperature of an already volatile situation, he said.
"This could have easily been a catastrophe," Carlucci said.
Prior to handing down his verdict, Carlucci explained that, in his opinion, most criminal defendants fare better having their case tried before a judge, rather than a jury.
"If they're sincere in their examination of the evidence, they're serious about the burden that is placed on the prosecution to prove each element of each charge," he said.
"ADA Sweeley made a good case as to why the defendant is probably guilty of all counts. But probably guilty is not enough," Carlucci said, explaining that the belief of guilt must be beyond a reasonable doubt.
Carlucci ultimately issued a split verdict, finding Brooks-Brown guilty of making terroristic threats, possession of an instrument of crime, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, disorderly conduct and harassment, while acquitting him of unlawful restraint, false imprisonment, aggravated assault, illegal possession of a firearm by a fugitive, resisting arrest and a separate charge of simple assault.
A sentencing date for Brooks-Brown was not immediately available.