Emily Brooks
The woman who murdered her boyfriend in a parking lot two and a half years ago meekly pled guilty to second-degree murder on a drizzly Thursday afternoon. Emily Brooks, 28, is facing between 15 to 25 years in the Tennessee Department of Corrections for shooting Eric Burchfield during the summer of 2017.
As Criminal Court Judge Don Poole asked Ms. Brooks the requisite questions about her education, choices, and other things, the defendant was barely audible as she went through the questions. However, when asked if she pled guilty to a lesser charge of second-degree murder, Ms. Brooks was loud enough to hear her say “yes” when asked the important question.
After briefly speaking with Burchfield’s and Brooks’ families, prosecutor Crystle Carrion and Ms. Brooks’ attorneys agreed upon a sentencing date of March 19. At the sentencing, the prosecution will present evidence against Ms. Brooks and the defense will seek a lower term.
In December, Ms. Brooks was involved in a suppression hearing, where her attorneys argued the court should ignore the presence of a gun found in a bag shortly after she tried to escape from police. According to a previous story, Investigator Robin Davenport, who was there when the events occurred, told the court what happened.
He described how the woman who was once described as having long blonde hair appeared before them with a red buzz cut. After being detained, she somehow slipped out of the handcuffs and tried to run away. Just as investigator Davenport tackled her, she tried to reach into a bag lying on the ground. She was then detained a second time.