ANKENY, Iowa — An Ankeny man accused of murdering his long-time partner in January will undergo an evaluation to determine whether he is competent to stand trial.
In early January, officers with the Ankeny Police Department conducted a welfare check at an apartment complex in the 1000 block of NE Crestmoor Place. The police department said that when officers arrived, they found 30-year-old Sharon Jellue dead inside the apartment she shared with her partner, Johnson Chayee Browne, 32.
According to the APD, Browne was already in custody for an incident the day before Jellue was found. A criminal complaint states that officers were responding to a report of a suspicious man when they encountered Browne, who was trying to break into a vehicle with a rock. Officers also noted that when they took Browne into custody, his hands were covered in blood.
Browne was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, as well as two counts of interference with official acts – inflict bodily injury for allegedly being combative with officers.
On Tuesday, Feb. 17, Browne’s defense team filed a motion requesting a competency evaluation to determine whether Browne can stand trial, claiming that Browne is suffering from mental health issues. The filing claims that Browne appears “to have moments of lucidity followed by periods of affectless emotions and blank stares with a lack of understanding. The Defendant [Browne] has been unable to assist in his own defense; he cannot recite facts, details or an understanding of what is occurring. The Defendant [Browne] cannot answer basic questions let alone have a meaningful conversation about the allegations against him.”…