Attorney General's News Release

April 15, 2005

State Supreme Court sets May 18 execution date for man who strangled 9-year-old girl in north St. Louis

Jefferson City, Mo. — The Missouri Supreme Court has set a May 18 execution date for Vernon Brown, convicted of the October 1986 strangulation death of a 9-year-old neighbor girl in north St. Louis. The office of Attorney General Jay Nixon represented the state against Brown's appeals.

On Oct. 24, 1986, Brown — who, at the time, was using the alias Thomas Turner — had picked up his stepsons from Cole School and returned to their home on Enright Avenue. When he saw Janet Perkins walking by, he enticed her into the house and locked his stepsons in their bedroom.

Brown then took Perkins into the basement of the house and bound her feet and one hand with a wire coat hanger, and later strangled her to death with a rope. Police found Perkins' body in two trash bags near a dumpster in an alley behind Brown's house the next day.

A St. Louis City Circuit Court jury found Brown guilty of first-degree murder on Oct. 27, 1988, and recommended a sentence of death on Oct. 31. A judge issued the formal sentence on Dec. 2.

Inquiries from consumers should be directed to consumer@ago.mo.gov or 1-800-392-8222 (from within Missouri) or 573-751-3321 (outside Missouri).

All media inquiries should be directed to Press Secretary John Fougere.

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