Youngest sniper victim testifies

The youngest victim of the sniper spree, testified in court on October 29, 2003 against John Allen Muhammad, describing the events that led to the attack on October 7, 2002 outside of Benjamin Tasker Middle School.

Iran Brown, the fourteen year-old, who was thirteen when the attack happened, told the jury what he was doing before he got shot. "I put my book bag down and I got shot," he said. The boy talked for only two minutes, and wasn't cross-examined by the defense.

The boy's aunt, Tanya Brown, also testified about the events of that day. She broke down as she told the court about hearing a loud noise and then Iran calling to her. "He told me, 'I've been shot.' I didn't believe him at first," she said.

Tanya Brown, a hospital nurse, then decided to drive Iran to the nearest hospital rather than wait for an ambulance.

Doctor Martin Eichelberger, who first saw the victim, testified about the extent of his injuries, and his miraculous recovery. "This young boy had the good Lord riding on his shoulder that day," Eichelberger said.

The doctor also testified that Tanya Brown's decision to drive her nephew probably helped save his life.

At first, the family of Iran Brown had been unwilling to let him testify in court, but eventually recanted to the prosecution's pleas.

The testimony of the younger Brown is part of a comprehensive plan by the prosecution to link a total of 16 shootings to John Lee Boyd Malvo and John Allen Muhammad. In order to obtain the capital murder conviction, the prosecution must prove multiple murders on one of the two death penalty charges against the two suspects.