I (Almost) Got Away with It (2010–2016): Season 1, Episode 9 - Got Revenge - full transcript
HE'S KILLED BEFORE,
AND HE'D KILL AGAIN.
Narrator:
AN ESCAPED PRISONER WITH A
VIOLENT HISTORY IS ON THE LOOSE.
HE GOES BACK TO HIS HOME TURF
TO SETTLE A SCORE.
MARSHALL BROWN WAS REFERRED TO
AS "THE ENFORCER."
Narrator: HIS CAPTURE
IS THE COPS' TOP PRIORITY.
WITH MARSHALL BROWN
WE WERE PREPARED
FOR A POSSIBILITY OF A SHOOTOUT.
GET YOUR HANDS UP!
Narrator: BUT THIS FUGITIVE
IS A MASTER AT ELUDING POLICE.
AND HE WON'T GO DOWN
WITHOUT A FIGHT.
CRIMINALS SOMETIMES
TRY TO ESCAPE FROM JUSTICE.
THIS IS THE STORY OF HOW ONE MAN
ALMOST GOT AWAY WITH IT.
JULY 3, 1977.
HORACE MORRISON SETTLES IN
FOR A QUIET EVENING
AT HIS TAYLORSVILLE,
NORTH CAROLINA, HOME.
HE HAS NO IDEA
THERE'S A PRICE ON HIS HEAD.
HOW LONG HAS IT
BEEN GOING ON?
MORRISON IS ABOUT TO TESTIFY
AGAINST A LOCAL GANG MEMBER.
IT'S A DECISION
THAT WILL COST HIM DEARLY.
THE TRIGGERMAN IS
19-YEAR-OLD MARSHALL LEE BROWN.
HE'S ALREADY A VETERAN
DRUG RUNNER AND HIRED THUG.
BROWN IS PAID $50 TO MAKE SURE
MORRISON KEEPS HIS MOUTH SHUT.
I KNOW THAT WHAT I DID
MADE THE WRONG PEOPLE MAD.
THEY DECIDED THAT HE WAS
A LIABILITY OR THREAT TO THEM.
AND THAT'S THE RULES.
OH, YOU MEAN DOWN
OVER THE HILL...?
[ GLASS SHATTERS ]
Narrator: BROWN
IMMEDIATELY MAKES HIS ESCAPE,
HEADING SOME 350 MILES NORTH
TO WASHINGTON, D.C.,
WHERE HE PLANS TO LAY LOW
UNTIL THINGS COOL DOWN.
Brown: I KEPT THE WEAPON
AND WAS GONNA SELL IT,
AND THE REST OF THEM,
THE WAY IS, YOU KNOW,
THE CODE OF SILENCE --
DON'T SAY NOTHING.
Narrator:
BUT SOMEONE IN THE GANG BREAKS
THAT CODE AND TALKS TO POLICE.
TWO WEEKS AFTER
MORRISON'S MURDER,
BROWN HEARS A KNOCK ON THE DOOR.
I JUST SNATCHED THE DOOR OPEN,
AND IT WAS
TWO UNITED STATES MARSHALS.
Narrator:
ON NOVEMBER 17, 1977,
MARSHALL LEE BROWN IS CONVICTED
OF SECOND-DEGREE MURDER
FOR THE CONTRACT KILLING
OF HORACE MORRISON.
HE'S SENTENCED
TO LIFE IN PRISON.
MY THOUGHT WAS,
"WELL, THAT'S THE END
OF MARSHALL BROWN."
Narrator:
IT'S A BITTER PILL TO SWALLOW,
AND BROWN CAN'T STOP
THINKING ABOUT WHO TO BLAME
FOR PUTTING HIM BEHIND BARS.
Brown: I'M WONDERING
WHO COULD HAVE BETRAYED ME,
YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING,
BECAUSE IT WAS
MORE THAN ONE PERSON INVOLVED,
AND I WONDERED
WHY DID IT COME TO ME?
Narrator: HE'S ASSIGNED TO THE
NOTORIOUS POLK YOUTH INSTITUTION
IN RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA.
MANY OF POLK'S INMATES
ARE HARD-CORE CRIMINALS,
AND THE CELLBLOCK
IS RULED BY VIOLENCE.
KILL OR BE KILLED
IF IT COME DOWN TO IT.
Narrator: BROWN
DECIDES HE'LL DO WHAT IT TAKES
TO SURVIVE ON THE INSIDE,
BUT ONE WAY OR ANOTHER,
HE'S EVENTUALLY
GOING TO GET OUT.
IT'S BETTER TO BE DEAD
THAN SPEND THE REST OF YOUR LIFE
IN PRISON.
Narrator:
ESCAPE FROM POLK IS DIFFICULT.
BUT BROWN
IS WILLING TO BE PATIENT.
HE SPENDS HIS DAYS
LIFTING WEIGHTS,
PRACTICING MARTIAL ARTS,
AND LEARNING ALL HE CAN
ABOUT WILDERNESS SURVIVAL.
Nance:
I THINK MARSHALL BROWN
WAS GONNA DO EVERYTHING
THAT HE POSSIBLY COULD
TO BE 100% PREPARED FOR THE
JOURNEY HE WAS FIXING TO TAKE.
Narrator:
AS THE YEARS ROLL BY,
BROWN ESTABLISHES HIMSELF
AS A MODEL PRISONER.
GOOD DAY, OFFICER.
WHAT'S GOING ON?
AFTER 16 YEARS BEHIND BARS,
HIS GOOD BEHAVIOR
EARNS HIM A TRANSFER
TO A MINIMUM-SECURITY FACILITY
IN CHARLOTTE.
MARSHALL BROWN IS BASICALLY
A VERY INTELLIGENT INDIVIDUAL.
HE KNOWS HOW TO MANIPULATE
OTHERS AND HIMSELF.
HE CAN HAVE THE DISCIPLINE,
IF YOU WILL,
TO GET WHAT HE DESIRES.
Narrator: BROWN MANAGES
TO GET HIMSELF ENROLLED
IN A PRISON
WORK-RELEASE PROGRAM.
EACH MORNING, HE'S TRANSPORTED
TO A COUNTY CONSTRUCTION PROJECT
IN DOWNTOWN CHARLOTTE.
BROWN IS TRUSTED TO WORK
WITHOUT THE SUPERVISION
OF CORRECTIONS OFFICERS.
IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY
HE CAN'T RESIST.
THE MORNING OF APRIL 12, 1996,
AFTER MORE THAN 19 YEARS
IN PRISON,
MARSHALL BROWN WALKS OFF
THE JOBSITE AND DISAPPEARS.
BY THE TIME PRISON OFFICIALS
GET WORD THAT BROWN'S MISSING,
THE ESCAPEE
IS ALREADY OUT OF THE AREA.
HE EVENTUALLY MAKES HIS WAY
TO THE WOODS OUTSIDE CHARLOTTE.
WELL, AFTER
I HAD MADE MY WAY TO --
OUT OF THE IMMEDIATE
AREA OF DANGER, YOU MIGHT SAY,
I GOT ON MY KNEES
AND KISSED THE GROUND
AND SPENT MY FIRST NIGHT
OUTDOORS UNDER THE STARS.
HE WAS GONNA REMAIN
ON THE TOP-PRIORITY LIST
UNTIL HE WAS CAPTURED.
Narrator:
ROCKY NANCE WAS A LIEUTENANT
WITH THE NORTH CAROLINA
DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
FUGITIVE RECOVERY TEAM
BACK IN 1996.
WE'RE GONNA CHECK EVERY LEAD
WE GET NO MATTER HOW MINOR,
NO MATTER
HOW INSIGNIFICANT IT MAY SEEM.
WE'RE GONNA TURN OVER
EVERY ROCK, EVERY STONE.
NANCE IS SURPRISED TO FIND
A NOTE IN BROWN'S PRISON LOCKER
APOLOGIZING FOR HIS ESCAPE,
AND, IN A WARNING TO ANY
WOULD-BE CAPTORS, BROWN WRITES,
"WHATEVER WILL BE WILL BE!"
THE NOTE IN THE LOCKER
WOULD CONCLUDE TO THE SAME THING
THAT HE WAS GONNA DO
AND BE WILLING TO DO
ANYTHING HE NEEDED TO DO
TO STAY A FREE MAN.
Brown: I HAD MADE UP MY MIND
THAT THERE WAS NO WAY
I WAS GONNA LET THEM
CATCH ME ALIVE.
Narrator: BROWN KNOWS HE'S
GOT TO STAY BELOW THE RADAR.
HE'S THE SUBJECT
OF A STATEWIDE MANHUNT,
AND HIS MUG SHOT'S
BEEN ON THE LOCAL NEWS.
BROWN GETS A TENT AND A SUPPLY
OF FOOD FROM AN OLD FRIEND.
HE SPENDS MOST OF HIS TIME
HIDING OUT
DEEP IN
THE NORTH CAROLINA WOODS,
DRAWING ON HIS ARMY TRAINING
AND THE WILDERNESS-SURVIVAL
SKILLS HE LEARNED IN PRISON.
BROWN HAS A PORTABLE SCANNER
TO MONITOR POLICE ACTIVITY.
HE HOPES TO GET A WARNING
IF THE COPS MOVE INTO HIS AREA.
Brown:
IN A WAY, IT'S SO STRESSFUL.
IT WAS MORE STRESSFUL
THAN EVEN DOING THE TIME,
YOU SEE, BECAUSE
YOU CAN'T GO TO SLEEP SOUND
BECAUSE YOU GOT TO
KEEP YOUR EARS OPEN.
YOU GOT TO USE YOUR NOSE
TO TRY TO SMELL PEOPLE,
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
YOU GOT TO JUST --
IT'S ON THE EDGE,
AND IT'S ABOUT LIKE
A DEER IN DEER SEASON.
Narrator: BROWN WANTS TO MOVE
ABOUT 40 MILES NORTH
TO THE SMALL TOWN
OF STATESVILLE,
WHERE HE CAN BE CLOSE
TO MEMBERS OF HIS OLD GANG.
HE SPENDS THE NEXT FEW NIGHTS
TRAVELING THROUGH THE WOODS
UNDER COVER OF DARKNESS,
HOPING TO AVOID DETECTION.
HE'S CAREFUL
NOT TO USE A FLASHLIGHT
WHEN MOVING
NEAR POPULATED AREAS.
IN 'NAM WE CALLED IT
"NIGHT EYES" --
THE NIGHT-VISION STUFF
THEY DIDN'T HAVE,
OR IT WAS JUST
COMING IN TO BEING, SHALL I SAY.
SO THEY TRAINED US
HOW TO JUST --
YOU HAD TO USE YOUR SENSES
TO SEE IN THE DARK, ANYWAY.
Narrator: BROWN MAKES IT
TO THE STATESVILLE AREA
AND SETS UP HIS TENT
OUTSIDE OF TOWN.
HE FEELS RELATIVELY SAFE
HIDING OUT IN THE WOODS,
BUT AS WINTER APPROACHES,
IT'S TIME FOR A CHANGE.
IT CAN BECOME DEPRESSING
'CAUSE YOU'RE SITTING THERE,
AND YOU CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH.
HUMAN NATURE, YOU CAN ONLY
STAY IN THE WOODS SO LONG.
YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE CONTACT.
YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE
FOOD, CLOTHING, AND SHELTER
AT SOME POINT.
Narrator: BROWN DIDN'T BREAK OUT
OF PRISON JUST TO MAKE FRIENDS.
HE WANTS TO GET BACK IN THE DRUG
GAME AND MAKE SOME FAST MONEY.
LESS THAN ONE WEEK
AFTER HIS ESCAPE,
BROWN HOOKS UP
WITH SOME OF HIS FORMER GANG
IN STATESVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA.
THE THING WAS TO WORK WITH THEM
AND EARN ENOUGH FUZZ
AND THEN, YOU KNOW,
LEAVE THE COUNTRY.
Narrator:
BROWN GOES BACK TO WORK AS
A DRUG RUNNER AND HIRED MUSCLE.
MARSHALL BROWN WAS REFERRED TO
AS THE ENFORCER.
IF SOMEONE IN THE DRUG BUSINESS
WAS DELINQUENT
OR DIDN'T PAY FOR THEIR DRUGS,
THEN MARSHALL BROWN
WOULD BE SENT OUT TO COLLECT,
AND, IF NECESSARY,
KILL THOSE INDIVIDUALS
FOR NOT DOING THEIR PART.
IT WAS A TRADE
THAT HE WAS VERY FAMILIAR WITH,
AND HE WAS ABLE TO PLUG
AND PLAY RIGHT BACK INTO IT.
Narrator:
ALONG WITH THE EASY MONEY COMES
AN INCREASED RISK OF CAPTURE.
BROWN KEEPS
A CONSTANT LOOKOUT FOR POLICE.
I CAN'T RELAX, AND
YOU GOT TO SUSPECT EVERYTHING
YEAR AFTER YEAR,
MINUTE AFTER MINUTE.
EVEN IF YOU THINK
YOU OUT SOMEWHERE
TRYING TO HAVE A GOOD TIME
OR DRINK A FEW BEERS
OR GOT A LADY WITH YOU,
IT STILL DON'T STOP.
IT'S ALMOST LIKE BEING IN
PRISON, BUT YOU AIN'T IN PRISON.
Narrator: AND IF THE COPS
EVER GET HIM IN A CORNER,
BROWN'S PREPARED TO FIGHT BACK.
HE'S KNOWN
TO CARRY A MAC 10 MACHINE PISTOL
WITH A 32-ROUND CLIP.
AND HE CARRIES
A SMALL CUBE OF PURE HEROIN,
PART OF A GRIM PLAN
OF LAST RESORT
TO MAKE SURE
HE'S NEVER TAKEN ALIVE.
Brown:
THAT WAS MY SUICIDE PACKAGE.
IF I GOT BOXED IN
AND COULDN'T ELUDE OR EVADE,
I WAS JUST GOING TO EAT IT,
AND I KNOW THAT I WOULD FEEL
NO PAIN AFTER THAT.
Nance: ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS
INDIVIDUALS YOU CAN CONFRONT
IS SOMEONE
THAT'S READY AND WILLING TO DIE.
THERE'S NO BARGAINING.
THERE'S NO NEGOTIATION.
IT'S YOU OR THEM, UNFORTUNATELY.
Narrator: BROWN'S ACTIVITY
HAS HIM MOVING IN AND OUT
OF KNOWN DRUG AREAS
AROUND NORTH CAROLINA.
HE WORKS MOSTLY AT NIGHT,
TAKING EXTRA CARE TO AVOID
ANY CONTACT WITH POLICE.
WE WERE UNAWARE
THAT THERE WAS A PRISON ESCAPEE
POSSIBLY
IN THE STATESVILLE AREA.
WE HAD NO IDEA
WHO MARSHALL BROWN WAS.
Narrator: JUST A FEW WEEKS
AFTER ESCAPING FROM PRISON,
BROWN'S MAKING A ROUTINE DRUG
RUN FOR A STATESVILLE DEALER.
[ SIREN WAILS ]
[ POLICE RADIO CHATTER ]
Brown: I LOOK UP,
AND IT'S A BLUE LIGHT BEHIND ME.
SO I'M SAYING,
"OOH, WOW. OKAY."
Narrator: BROWN FIGURES
HE'S BEING PULLED OVER
FOR A MINOR TRAFFIC VIOLATION.
EVEN SO, HE KNOWS HE CAN'T
RISK AN INTERACTION WITH POLICE.
MOST ANY OFFICER, IF YOU
CAN'T PRODUCE IDENTIFICATION,
THEY'RE GONNA RUN YOUR NAME,
DATE OF BIRTH,
AND IF THEY'RE NOT SATISFIED,
THEY'RE GONNA BRING YOU IN,
FINGERPRINT YOU,
AND THEY'RE GONNA
FIND OUT WHO YOU ARE.
Brown:
I STOPPED, BUT I DON'T TURN
THE ENGINE OFF, AND HE GETS OUT.
BY THE TIME HE GETS TO THE
BACK END OF THE CAR, I TAKE OFF.
[ TIRES SCREECH ]
[ SIREN WAILING ]
Narrator: HE HEADS
FOR A FAMILIAR NEIGHBORHOOD
AS ANOTHER SQUAD CAR
JOINS THE CHASE.
USUALLY WHEN PEOPLE TRY TO EVADE
THE POLICE IN A VEHICLE,
THEY ARE TRYING
TO GET BACK TO THEIR --
I GUESS THEIR HOME TURF
SO THEY HAVE
A BETTER CHANCE OF ESCAPING,
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HE DID.
[ TIRES SCREECH ]
Narrator: BROWN JUMPS A CURB
AND DRIVES THROUGH A YARD,
OUTMANEUVERING THE COPS.
JUST WHEN IT
LOOKS LIKE HE'S GETTING AWAY,
A CONCERNED CITIZEN
TRIES TO RUN HIM OFF THE ROAD.
HE TRIED TO DO
LIKE A RACECAR DRIVER --
YOU KNOW HOW THEY DO
WHEN THEY TRY TO FORCE
EACH OTHER OUT OF THE WAY?
YEAH, HE TRIED TO
JUST FORCE ME OFF THE ROAD.
HE WAS DEFINITELY
IN THE PATH OF MARSHALL BROWN.
Anderson:
HE COULD HAVE KIDNAPPED HIM,
KILLED HIM, TAKEN HIS VEHICLE,
AND THE CHASE
WOULD HAVE CONTINUED.
THERE WAS A MOMENT RIGHT THERE
WHERE I THOUGHT THEY HAD ME
BECAUSE UNLESS I COULD
THINK OF SOMETHING QUICK,
I WAS IN THE OPEN.
Narrator:
AS THE COPS CLOSE OFF THE ALLEY,
MARSHALL BROWN
IS RUNNING OUT OF OPTIONS.
Brown: I'M THINKING,
"WHAT'S THE NEXT STEP?
WHAT'S THE NEXT STEP?"
[ SIREN WAILING ]
Narrator: IN THE SUMMER OF 1996,
ESCAPED MURDERER MARSHALL BROWN
FLEES FROM POLICE
DURING A ROUTINE TRAFFIC STOP.
THEY CAUGHT ME RIGHT IN THE
MIDDLE OF THESE TWO BUILDINGS,
AND THE ONLY THING I HAD
ON MY SIDE WAS DARKNESS.
WELL, I KNEW THAT I HAD
TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING QUICK.
Narrator: THE COPS
CLOSE IN ON BROWN'S POSITION.
HE'S TRAPPED
WITH NO PLACE TO RUN OR HIDE.
BUT AS THE SEARCH LIGHTS
SHINE IN HIS DIRECTION,
BROWN LIES DOWN ON THE PAVEMENT,
AND THE COPS PASS BY
WITHOUT SEEING HIM.
THERE WAS A MOMENT RIGHT THERE
WHERE I THOUGHT THEY HAD ME.
Narrator:
WHEN THE COAST IS CLEAR,
BROWN HEADS BACK
TO TELL HIS GANG WHAT HAPPENED.
Brown: WHEN I WALKED IN,
EVERYBODY LOOKED AT ME LIKE,
"WOW. WHERE YOU BEEN?"
BUT I WAS RELIEVED THAT,
AGAIN, LIKE I SAID,
THE RUSH AND THE HEARTBEAT,
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN,
AND I FELT LIKE, "OKAY, WELL,
THAT WAS KIND OF TOO CLOSE."
Narrator:
EVADING AND AVOIDING
AREN'T BROWN'S ONLY STRATEGIES
FOR DODGING THE LAW.
HE TRIES TO KEEP A LOW PROFILE
AND BLEND IN
WITH THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
HE USES VARIOUS ALIASES
AND EVEN DISGUISES
TO MINIMIZE HIS CHANCES
OF BEING RECOGNIZED.
A COUPLE OF TIMES, I USED A WIG.
Narrator: AND BROWN
WEARS LONG-SLEEVE SHIRTS
TO HIDE THE DISTINCTIVE YIN-YANG
TATTOO ON HIS RIGHT FOREARM.
Brown: SOMETIMES DISGUISES
DON'T HOLD UP UNDER SCRUTINY,
SO THERE'S
A PROPER TIME TO USE IT.
FOR ME,
IT WAS LIKE TWILIGHT HOURS
WHERE JUST, YOU KNOW,
ALMOST DARK.
I DON'T HAVE YOUR MONEY!
Narrator:
DECEMBER 28, 1996.
A STATESVILLE PATROL OFFICER
RESPONDS TO A MINOR DISTURBANCE.
Anderson: ONE OF OUR OFFICERS
STOPPED A VEHICLE
THAT WAS DRIVEN BY A FEMALE
THAT WAS ACTUALLY
IN SOME TYPE OF ARGUMENT
WITH A LARGE BLACK MALE
WEARING DREADLOCKS.
HE WAS ACTUALLY
WALKING BESIDE A VEHICLE,
AND THEY WERE
SHOUTING BACK AND FORTH.
Narrator:
WHEN THE OFFICER INTERVENES,
HE HAS NO WAY OF KNOWING
THE DREADLOCKED MAN
IS AN ESCAPED MURDERER.
Anderson:
WHEN HE STOPPED THE VEHICLE,
THE MALE PERSON,
WHO WAS LATER DETERMINED TO BE
MARSHALL BROWN, WALKED AWAY,
AND THE OFFICER
SPOKE TO THE FEMALE.
EVENING, MISS.
Narrator: THE WOMAN IDENTIFIES
HERSELF AS PAMELA LEWIS
AND SAYS THE DREADLOCKED MAN IS
HER BOYFRIEND, ROBERT JACKSON.
THE OFFICER MAKES SURE
LEWIS IS OKAY,
THEN HE DRIVES DOWN THE STREET
TO TALK TO HER BOYFRIEND.
BUT BROWN MANAGES
TO DISAPPEAR YET AGAIN.
Anderson:
THE OFFICER THAT MADE THAT STOP
HAD NO IDEA WHO THE SUSPECT WAS
BECAUSE A CRIME WASN'T
BEING COMMITTED RIGHT THEN,
SO HE WOULD HAVE HAD
NO REASON TO CHASE HIM DOWN.
Narrator: WHEN THE PATROL CAR
FINALLY DRIVES OFF,
BROWN MAKES HIS WAY
OUT OF THE AREA.
IT'S GETTING LATE, AND HE'S GOT
OTHER BUSINESS TO ATTEND TO.
IN FACT,
IN JUST A FEW SHORT HOURS,
HE'LL COMMIT A CRIME
THAT WILL SHOCK THE RESIDENTS
OF THIS SMALL TOWN.
AT AROUND 5:00 A.M.,
MARSHALL BROWN IS HEADED TO
A SOUTH STATESVILLE NEIGHBORHOOD
TO DO A DRUG DEAL.
I WAS GOING DOWN THERE WITH
ABOUT HALF A POUND OF CRACK.
Narrator:
THE MEETING IS TO TAKE PLACE
IN A VAN PARKED
NEAR THE RAILROAD TRACKS.
[ INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS ]
IT WAS A VAN USED
FOR THE USE OF CRACK COCAINE
AND ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES.
Man:
HEY, COME ON IN, MAN.
Woman: HEY.
HEY, HEY.
ABOUT TIME.
ABOUT TIME. HEY.
[ LAUGHS ]
Narrator:
BROWN CLIMBS IN THE VAN
AND TAKES A SEAT
ACROSS FROM STEVEN CALHOUN.
ACCORDING TO POLICE,
BROWN AND CALHOUN
HAVE SOME UNSETTLED BUSINESS.
STEVEN CALHOUN OWED MARSHALL
BROWN A LARGE SUM OF MONEY
FOR SOME DRUGS
AND HAD NOT PAID THIS BACK.
Narrator: THE GROUP IS
IN THE VAN FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES
WHEN BROWN SUDDENLY
PULLS OUT A .30-CALIBER PISTOL.
[ GASPS ]
WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
WITHOUT SAYING A WORD,
HE POINTS THE GUN
AT STEVEN CALHOUN'S HEAD.
ONE THING THE WITNESSES TOLD US
IS THAT THERE WAS NO FIGHT
THAT LED UP TO THIS OR ANY
ARGUMENT THAT LED UP TO IT.
IT WAS JUST OUT OF THE BLUE.
COME ON, MAN.
THE MONEY, MAN.
I WANT THE MONEY.
NO, NO.
PUT THE GUN DOWN.
[ GUNSHOT ]
Narrator:
AFTER KILLING CALHOUN,
POLICE SAY MARSHALL BROWN
TURNS HIS ATTENTION
TO THE OTHER PEOPLE IN THE VAN.
HE POINTS THE GUN
AT CALHOUN'S FRIEND DAVID BROWN
AND SQUEEZES THE TRIGGER.
WHEN THE GUN FAILS TO FIRE,
MARSHALL BROWN USES IT
TO BEAT HIS VICTIM IN THE HEAD.
Brown: I HAD TO REALLY,
YOU KNOW, PUT IT ON HIM.
IT DON'T TAKE MUCH
TO HURT SOMEBODY
IF YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
Narrator:
THE TWO OTHER WITNESSES
ESCAPE FROM THE VAN.
DAVID BROWN BEGS FOR HIS LIFE.
[ Weakly ] WAIT.
WAIT.
[ GUN CLICKING ]
DON'T TELL ANYBODY
I WAS HERE.
Narrator:
WITH THAT WARNING,
MARSHALL BROWN LEAVES HIS VICTIM
LYING ON THE GROUND
AND DISAPPEARS INTO THE DARK.
Brown:
WELL, THAT PARTICULAR AREA,
I COULD TRAVEL OKAY AT NIGHT --
THEY GOT RAILROAD TRACKS,
AND I COULD GO ANYWHERE UNSEEN
ALMOST IN THAT TOWN,
BELIEVE IT OR NOT.
[ TRAIN CLATTERS ]
Anderson: HE WAS DEFINITELY
A DANGEROUS INDIVIDUAL,
AND WE HAD TO DO THE BEST WE CAN
TO GET HIM INTO CUSTODY.
[ SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY ]
Narrator: STATESVILLE
POLICE CHIEF TOM ANDERSON
WAS A YOUNG DETECTIVE
BACK IN 1996
WHEN HE'S ASSIGNED TO
INVESTIGATE THE CALHOUN MURDER.
THE BODY OF STEVEN CALHOUN WAS
STILL IN THE VAN WHEN I ARRIVED,
AND I ARRIVED WITHIN 30 MINUTES
OF THE ACTUAL INCIDENT
TAKING PLACE.
Narrator:
ANDERSON SAYS HE'LL NEVER FORGET
THAT COLD DECEMBER MORNING
WHEN HE FIRST GOT ON THE SCENE.
AT THAT TIME, THE VAN WAS
LOCATED ABOUT 20 TO 30 FEET
WHERE ALL THIS OVERGROWN BRUSH
IS NOW LOCATED.
Narrator: WHEN ANDERSON
QUESTIONS DAVID BROWN
AND THE OTHER WITNESSES
FROM THE VAN,
HE DISCOVERS
THE MAN HE'S LOOKING FOR
IS A FUGITIVE
WITH A VIOLENT HISTORY.
THIS WAS A LOT BIGGER
THAN WE KNEW GOING INTO IT.
Narrator: AND ANDERSON LEARNS
A DISPUTE OVER DRUG MONEY
ISN'T BROWN'S ONLY MOTIVE
FOR KILLING CALHOUN.
IT TURNS OUT STEVEN CALHOUN
IS THE MAN BROWN BELIEVES
BETRAYED HIM BACK IN 1977
BY TELLING POLICE ABOUT HIS ROLE
IN THE CONTRACT KILLING
OF HORACE MORRISON.
[ GLASS SHATTERS ]
Anderson: STEVEN CALHOUN
ACTUALLY TESTIFIED
AS A STATE WITNESS
AGAINST MARSHALL BROWN
IN THE 1977 CASE THAT PUT HIM
IN PRISON TO BEGIN WITH,
SO, I MEAN, WE GOT
TWO REALLY STRONG MOTIVES.
Narrator: THE CALHOUN MURDER
SERVES TO RAISE THE STAKES
IN THE HUNT FOR MARSHALL BROWN.
[ GUNSHOT ]
AND A JOINT TASK FORCE
OF LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL
LAW-ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES
IS FORMED TO FIND THE FUGITIVE.
A $5,000 REWARD IS OFFERED
FOR INFORMATION
LEADING TO HIS ARREST.
Nance:
THERE WAS A TRUE FEAR
THAT HE WAS GONNA
REMAIN AT LARGE AWHILE LONGER,
AND, OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S A FEAR
THAT HE'S GONNA TAKE
SOMEONE ELSE'S LIFE.
Narrator: NANCE KNOWS
THAT ONE WAY OR ANOTHER,
BROWN'S LUCK
WILL EVENTUALLY RUN OUT.
PEOPLE CAN ONLY STAY ON THE RUN
SO LONG NO MATTER WHERE THEY GO.
Narrator:
IN FEBRUARY OF 1997,
LESS THAN TWO MONTHS
AFTER THE CALHOUN MURDER,
NANCE GETS A LEAD
THAT PUTS HIM HOT ON THE TRAIL
OF MARSHALL BROWN --
AN INFORMANT GIVES HIM A PHONE
NUMBER FOR BROWN'S PAGER.
Nance:
THAT'S HOW PEOPLE GOT AHOLD
OF HIM WHEN THEY NEEDED DRUGS
OR DRUG TRANSACTIONS.
Narrator:
NANCE GETS A COURT ORDER
TO HAVE BROWN'S PAGER CLONED.
THAT MEANS WHENEVER BROWN IS
PAGED TO MAKE A DRUG DELIVERY,
NANCE'S CLONED PAGER
RECEIVES THE SAME MESSAGE.
A NUMBER WOULD SHOW UP,
THEN YOU'D SEE A 911 BESIDE IT,
WHICH WE LEARNED THAT SOMEONE
NEEDED DRUGS RIGHT THEN,
AND THIS WAS AN URGENT MESSAGE.
WE'D CERTAINLY TRY TO GET OUT
THERE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE
TO SEE IF WE COULD CATCH
MARSHALL BROWN
COMING TO THAT AREA
OR TO THAT HOME.
Narrator:
IN THE SPRING OF 1997,
NANCE INTERCEPTS A PAGE
DIRECTING BROWN
TO A DRUG HOUSE IN STATESVILLE.
WE HAD GOOD INFORMATION
WHICH MEANT THAT WE ALREADY
SECURED SEARCH WARRANTS
FOR THAT PROPERTY.
Man: THAT'S HOW WE DO.
THAT'S HOW WE DO THAT.
OKAY, GUYS.
Narrator: NANCE AND HIS TEAM ARE
AT THE ADDRESS WITHIN MINUTES.
Nance:
THE ADRENALINE RUSH WAS EXTREME.
YOU THINK,
"THIS IS GONNA BE THE TIME.
"THIS IS WHERE HE'S GONNA BE.
WE'RE GONNA MAKE
A CAPTURE TONIGHT."
[ INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS
AND LAUGHTER ]
Narrator:
AFTER MONTHS ON THE HUNT,
LIEUTENANT NANCE IS READY
TO BRING FUGITIVE MARSHALL BROWN
TO JUSTICE,
BUT HE COULD BE LEADING HIS MEN
INTO A FIRESTORM.
THE GANG MEMBERS INSIDE THE
HOUSE ARE PROBABLY WELL-ARMED,
AND BROWN'S MADE IT KNOWN
THAT HE WON'T GO DOWN
WITHOUT A FIGHT.
SEE, IF WE ENCOUNTERED
MARSHALL BROWN,
IT WAS PROBABLY GONNA BE
A SHOOTOUT.
Narrator:
SPRING 1997.
NORTH CAROLINA
DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
FUGITIVE HUNTER ROCKY NANCE
INTERCEPTS A PAGE
DIRECTING MARSHALL BROWN
TO A KNOWN DRUG HOUSE.
[ LAUGHS ]
Nance: THIS IS THE TIME,
THIS IS THE NIGHT,
THIS IS WHERE IT'S GONNA END,
AND I HAD VERY HIGH HOPES.
Narrator:
BROWN HAS MADE IT KNOWN
THAT HE WON'T BE TAKEN ALIVE.
NANCE AND HIS MEN
NEED TO BE READY FOR ANYTHING.
ALL RIGHT, READY?
WE'RE GOING IN.
ALL RIGHT.
I'M ON IT.
HE WAS TO BE CONSIDERED
EXTREMELY DANGEROUS --
ARMED AND DANGEROUS.
UGH!
Man: EVERYBODY,
GET YOUR HANDS UP!
GET YOUR HANDS UP!
DROP THAT CIGARETTE!
STAND UP!
Narrator: THE COPS MOVE FAST
TO CLEAR THE HOUSE.
YOU KIDDING ME?
Nance: I'VE BEEN IN THE BUSINESS
A LONG TIME,
AND YOU'VE YET TO SHOW ME A
SAFE WAY TO LOOK UNDER A BED...
IN A CLOSET...
OR STICK YOUR HEAD
THROUGH AN ATTIC DOOR.
IT'S JUST VERY DANGEROUS,
AND YOU PUT YOURSELF AT RISK
EACH AND EVERY TIME YOU DO IT.
Narrator: BUT MARSHALL BROWN
IS NOWHERE TO BE FOUND,
AND NO ONE IN THE HOUSE
IS WILLING TO TALK.
Nance:
MARSHALL MADE IT POINT-BLANK
KNOWN TO OTHER PEOPLE
IF YOU SNITCH OR RAT ME OUT
OR TURN OVER ON ME,
I WILL KILL YOU
AND YOUR FAMILY.
Narrator:
NANCE USES THE CLONED PAGER
FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS,
RESPONDING TO DOZENS OF CALLS AT
ALL HOURS OF THE DAY AND NIGHT.
Nance:
I'D LEAVE THE HOUSE AT NIGHT.
MY CHILDREN WOULD SAY,
"WHERE ARE YOU GOING, DADDY?"
I SAID, "I'VE GOT TO GO LOOK.
I'M GONNA GO LOOK
FOR MARSHALL BROWN."
AND THEY'RE LIKE,
"YOU GOT YOUR VEST ON?"
Narrator: AND WHILE SEVERAL
DRUG DEALERS ARE ARRESTED
AS A BY-PRODUCT
OF THE CLONED-PAGER OPERATION,
MARSHALL BROWN SOMEHOW MANAGES
TO STAY ONE STEP
AHEAD OF THE LAW.
Nance: I CAN RELATE DOZENS OF
TIMES THAT I JUST FELT CONFIDENT
AND CERTAIN THAT WE HAD HIM, AND
WE HAD THE RIGHT INFORMATION,
AND WE WERE
DOING THE RIGHT THINGS,
AND, LIKE I SAID,
WE'D COME UP EMPTY.
IT WOULD AMAZE ME AT TIMES.
I'M LIKE, "HE WAS SO ELUSIVE."
AND, UH...
AND IT'S DISTURBING.
Narrator: IT'S BROWN'S
WELL-DEVELOPED SENSE OF PARANOIA
THAT HELPS KEEP HIM ONE STEP
AHEAD OF NANCE'S OPERATION.
HE'S ALWAYS
ON THE LOOKOUT FOR COPS
AND SPENDS AT LEAST AN HOUR
SCOPING OUT THE AREA
BEFORE ENTERING A DRUG HOUSE.
IF SOMETHING'S NOT RIGHT, HE'LL
HOLD OFF UNTIL THINGS COOL DOWN.
Brown:
SUSPECTING EVERYTHING --
BECAUSE YOU'RE TRYING TO DO
EVERYTHING YOU CAN
NOT TO GET CAUGHT.
Nance: I DON'T WANT TO MAKE IT
SOUND LESS THAN IT IS,
BUT IT IS
A HUGE GAME OF HIDE-AND-SEEK.
THAT'S WHAT IT BOILED DOWN TO.
Narrator: AS THE WEEKS ROLL BY
WITH NO SIGN OF BROWN,
POLICE BEGIN TO SUSPECT
HE'S LEFT THE AREA.
THEN STATESVILLE DETECTIVE
TOM ANDERSON
GETS A PROMISING TIP.
HEY, GUYS, YOU STILL LOOKING
FOR THAT GUY ON THE POSTER?
YEAH, YEAH.
Anderson: WE GOT INFORMATION
FROM A BYSTANDER
THAT THEY SAW WHO THEY BELIEVED
TO BE MARSHALL BROWN
IN AN AREA OF SOUTH STATESVILLE,
AND MYSELF
AND THIS OTHER INVESTIGATOR
WERE A MATTER OF 20 SECONDS AWAY
FROM THAT LOCATION.
[ TIRES SCREECH ]
Narrator:
ANDERSON AND HIS PARTNER
RUSH TO THE LOCATION
AND CONFRONT THE SUSPECT.
WE WERE PROFESSIONAL, YET DIRECT
IN TELLING HIM
HOW TO SHOW US HIS I.D.
AND, YOU KNOW,
LIFT UP HIS SHIRT
AND MAKE SURE
THERE WERE NO WEAPONS.
MY HAND WAS ON MY WEAPON
IN CASE I NEEDED IT.
Narrator: THE SUSPECT
MATCHES BROWN'S DESCRIPTION...
...RIGHT DOWN TO THE YIN
AND YANG TATTOO ON HIS ARM.
BUT AFTER A FEW TENSE MOMENTS,
ANDERSON DETERMINES
THIS ISN'T THEIR MAN.
Anderson:
IT MAKES THE HAIR RAISE UP
ON THE BACK OF YOUR NECK
WHEN YOU SEE SOMEONE YOU THINK
IS WHO YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
ONCE AGAIN, SORRY.
NO PROBLEM, MAN.
Narrator:
ANDERSON'S NOT SURPRISED TO HEAR
THE MAN'S BEEN MISTAKEN
FOR BROWN BEFORE.
SINCE THE CALHOUN MURDER,
BROWN'S FACE
IS ALL OVER THE MEDIA,
AND BOTH CITIZENS AND POLICE ARE
ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THE FUGITIVE.
WE HAD GHOST SIGHTINGS
ALL OVER TOWN OF MARSHALL BROWN,
AND, APPARENTLY,
WE HAD A NUMBER OF PEOPLE
THAT LOOK LIKE MARSHALL BROWN
THAT WERE ON THE STREETS.
Narrator:
ANDERSON BELIEVES THERE MUST BE
SOMEONE IN STATESVILLE
WHO CAN TELL HIM WHERE
THE REAL MARSHALL BROWN IS.
ACTING ON A HUNCH, HE DECIDES
TO QUESTION PAMELA LEWIS,
THE WOMAN
SEEN ARGUING WITH BROWN
THE NIGHT OF THE CALHOUN MURDER.
Anderson:
LUCKILY THAT OFFICER GOT
THE FEMALE-DRIVER'S LICENSE,
GOT THE TAG NUMBER,
GOT US ALL THE INFORMATION WE
NEEDED TO TRACK HER BACK DOWN.
Narrator: LEWIS ADMITS
THAT THE DREADLOCKED MAN
IS INDEED MARSHALL BROWN.
SHE TELLS ANDERSON SHE DIDN'T
KNOW HE WAS AN ESCAPED CONVICT
AND SHE HAS NO IDEA
WHERE HE'S HIDING OUT.
BUT ACCORDING TO POLICE,
WHEN LEWIS LEAVES THE STATION,
SHE SECRETLY MEETS WITH BROWN
AND TELLS HIM
THE COPS ARE ON HIS TRAIL.
THEN BROWN PACKS HIS BAGS,
AND LEWIS DRIVES HIM TO THE
OUTSKIRTS OF WASHINGTON, D.C.
BROWN GOES TO D.C.
TO GET OFF THE COPS' RADAR,
BUT HE CAN'T SEEM
TO STAY OUT OF TROUBLE.
THIS TIME, HE'S ON A DRUG RUN
NEAR THE VIRGINIA BORDER
WHEN HE LOSES TRACK
OF HIS SPEED.
Brown: I DON'T KNOW
WHERE THE STATE TROOPER WAS,
BUT HE WASN'T ANYWHERE.
WHEN I LOOKED UP,
HE'S IN MY MIRROR,
GOT HIS THING ON.
AND I SAID, "OH, MAN. WOW."
Narrator: BROWN PULLS OVER
AND CONSIDERS HIS OPTIONS.
I'M STAYING CALM, BUT
I'M ALSO CALCULATING EVERY MOVE.
Narrator: HE'S THE SUBJECT
OF A STATEWIDE MANHUNT,
CARRYING AN ILLEGAL WEAPON
AND A PACKAGE OF COCAINE.
[ SIREN WAILING ]
THIS STATE TROOPER
IS WALKING INTO
A POTENTIALLY LETHAL SITUATION.
IT'S EXTREMELY DANGEROUS FOR
OFFICERS THAT DO VEHICLE STOPS.
IT'S A VERY LARGE RISK FOR THEM
'CAUSE OFTENTIMES
THESE INDIVIDUALS
WILL SHOOT THAT OFFICER
THE MINUTE HE APPEARS
IN THEIR DRIVER WINDOW
AND THEN SPEED OFF.
I WAS GONNA DO WHAT I HAD TO DO
TO TRY TO ELUDE AND EVADE --
EVADE TO GET AWAY.
Narrator: BROWN GRABS HIS MAC 10
OFF THE SEAT
AND STUFFS IT UNDER HIS COAT.
THEN HE
CLIMBS OUT OF THE VEHICLE
AND CALMLY WALKS
TOWARD THE STATE TROOPER.
Narrator:
ESCAPED FUGITIVE MARSHALL BROWN
IS MAKING A DRUG RUN
NEAR THE VIRGINIA BORDER
WHEN A STATE TROOPER
GETS HIM ON RADAR.
THEY GOT ME LIKE
5 OR 10 MILES OVER.
IT WASN'T NOTHING MUCH.
BROWN PULLS OVER,
STUFF HIS GUN IN HIS JACKET,
AND CALMLY
CLIMBS OUT OF THE CAR.
I DON'T THINK MARSHALL BROWN
WOULD HESITATE,
IF IT BECAME NECESSARY,
TO USE DEADLY FORCE
AGAINST LAW ENFORCEMENT.
Narrator: BUT BROWN WOULD RATHER
DO THIS THE EASY WAY.
HIS PLAN IS TO STAY CALM
AND USE HIS CHARM TO
PUT THE STATE TROOPER AT EASE.
HE FIGURES
IF HE PLAYS HIS CARDS RIGHT,
THE OFFICER WON'T KNOW
WHO HE REALLY IS.
WHAT I DO IS I FORGET ABOUT
ALL WHAT I GOT ON ME,
AND I TRY TO FIND
A COMMON GROUND WITH HIM.
IT KIND OF LIKE
BREAKS THE STERN THING
SO THAT NOW HE AIN'T SO ALERT
AS HE MIGHT HAVE
SHOULD HAVE BEEN, OR WHATEVER.
Anderson:
UNLESS AN OFFICER HAS REASON
TO INVESTIGATE FURTHER,
OR SOMETHING
JUST APPEARS OUT OF THE WAY
HE'S NOT GONNA INTERROGATE
EVERY PERSON HE COMES ACROSS,
ESPECIALLY IF SOMEONE'S COMING
ACROSS IN A POSITIVE MANNER.
Narrator: WHEN THE STATE TROOPER
ASKS TO SEE A DRIVER'S LICENSE,
BROWN HANDS HIM
A HIGH-QUALITY FAKE.
Brown:
A FAKE I.D. IS CRITICAL.
IT'S SOMETHING YOU GOT TO HAVE.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
Narrator: THE NAME, ADDRESS,
AND LICENSE NUMBER
BELONG TO AN INNOCENT VICTIM
OF IDENTITY THEFT.
ONLY THE PHOTO
IS THE REAL MARSHALL BROWN.
IT'S GOT TO BE ABLE TO STAND UP
TO AN OFFICER RUNNING IT
AND IT COMING BACK CLEAN.
Narrator: THE TROOPER HAS BROWN
SIT IN THE PATROL CAR
WHILE HE RUNS THE I.D.
Brown:
MY HEART WAS BEATING 'CAUSE
I WAS SITTING RIGHT BESIDE HIM,
AND I HAD A MACHINE PISTOL
UNDER THIS BIG OLD COAT
AND EVERYTHING,
AND I WAS LIKE, "WHOO."
Narrator:
BROWN PLAYS IT COOL,
AND HE KEEPS
A CLOSE EYE ON THE TROOPER.
Brown:
I'M READING HIS FACIAL EMOTIONS.
I'M READING HIM,
AND SEEING IF IT'S WORKING
BECAUSE THE ONLY SIGNS I GOT
OF SOMETHING GOING WRONG IS HIM.
Narrator: IF HE SENSES
THE SITUATION TURNING BAD,
BROWN PLANS TO MAKE A GRAB
FOR THE TROOPER'S SIDEARM.
Brown:
HAD IT TURNED TO THE WORST,
I'M PRETTY CONFIDENT THAT
I STILL COULD HAVE CONTROLLED IT
WITHOUT, YOU KNOW,
HAVING TO "HURT HIM" HURT HIM.
I'M THINKING,
"IF I COULD JUST GET THIS WEAPON
OUT THE MIDDLE OF US,
THEN I'M GONNA LET HIM GO."
Narrator: BROWN'S FAKE LICENSE
COMES BACK CLEAN.
THE TROOPER HANDS HIM A SPEEDING
TICKET AND SENDS HIM ON HIS WAY.
IT WAS LIKE, [SIGHS DEEPLY]
IT WAS A RELIEF,
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
IT'D HAVE BEEN A BAD SITUATION.
I'M GLAD
IT DIDN'T HAPPEN, THOUGH,
'CAUSE HE WAS A PRETTY COOL GUY.
I STAYED CALM
AND HE STAYED CALM,
AND THAT'S THE WHOLE THING
ABOUT TRYING TO STAY FREE.
Narrator:
BY THE SPRING OF 1998,
BROWN'S MANAGED TO AVOID CAPTURE
FOR MORE THAN TWO YEARS.
BUT HE'S HAD
SEVERAL CLOSE CALLS,
AND HIS CRIMINAL ACTIVITY
KEEPS BRINGING HIM
INTO CONTACT WITH POLICE.
WHAT'S GOING ON, COREY?
HOW YOU DOING?
BROWN DECIDES IT'S TIME
TO QUIT THE DRUG TRADE.
USING AN ALIAS,
HE STARTS LOOKING FOR
MORE LEGITIMATE WORK.
THAT WAS PART OF HIS SURVIVAL
IS PRESENTING
A WHOLE NOTHER IDENTIFICATION
AND PROJECTING
A WHOLE NOTHER IMAGE.
BROWN MOVES INTO
A D.C. NEIGHBORHOOD
AND GETS STEADY WORK DOING
CONSTRUCTION AND REMODELING.
Brown: I'D MET A GUY
WHO HAD APARTMENT BUILDINGS,
AND HE OFFERED ME WORK, AND
OF COURSE I USED AN ALIAS NAME.
Narrator:
BROWN STAYS OUT OF TROUBLE,
BUT HIS PAST
IS ABOUT TO CATCH UP WITH HIM.
JULY 21, 1999.
THE WASHINGTON, D.C., FBI OFFICE
GETS A TIP THAT AN INTERSTATE
FUGITIVE NAMED MARSHALL BROWN
IS STAYING AT AN ADDRESS
ON THE NORTHWEST SIDE OF TOWN.
FIRST OF ALL, YOU HAD TO LOOK
AND SEE WHO YOU'RE GOING AFTER.
IN THIS CASE, THIS WAS
AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS FUGITIVE.
HE DIDN'T INTEND
TO GO BACK TO PRISON.
HE WAS GOING
TO FIGHT TILL THE END.
Narrator:
JACK OLLER IS A SPECIAL AGENT
WITH THE WASHINGTON, D.C.,
FIELD OFFICE BACK IN 1999
WHEN HE'S ASSIGNED
THE BROWN CASE.
WE HAD INFORMATION AT THAT TIME
THAT HE MAY BE WORKING A JOB,
AND HE MAY BE COMING AND GOING
DURING THE DAY FROM THAT JOB.
Narrator: THE TEAM STAKES OUT
THE NORTHWEST D.C. ADDRESS
WHERE THEY BELIEVE
BROWN IS STAYING.
UNIT THREE STANDING BY.
THEIR PLAN -- TO GRAB BROWN
AS HE LEAVES FOR WORK.
THE ELEMENT OF SURPRISE
IS CRUCIAL.
Oller:
WITH MARSHALL BROWN,
WE WERE PREPARED
FOR A POSSIBILITY OF A SHOOTOUT.
Narrator:
AT ABOUT 7:00 A.M.,
THE COPS WATCH AS AN
UNIDENTIFIED MAN PARKS HIS CAR
AND WALKS TOWARD BROWN'S HOUSE.
STAND BY.
HE WALKED UP TO THE FRONT PORCH
OF THE RESIDENCE,
AND BROWN CAME OUT...
AND WE ALL RECOGNIZED BROWN.
I MEAN,
IT WAS JUST LIKE HIS PHOTO.
Narrator:
THE COPS STAND BY FOR A SIGNAL
TO MOVE IN ON THE FUGITIVE.
THAT'S HIM.
LET'S GO.
10-4.
Narrator: BUT MARSHALL BROWN
WON'T GO EASY.
ALL HELL
IS ABOUT TO BREAK LOOSE.
FREEZE!
FREEZE, FREEZE,
FREEZE, FREEZE, DROP!
HANDS ON YOUR HEAD!
HANDS ON YOUR HEAD!
Narrator: THEY WASHINGTON, D.C.,
FBI FIELD OFFICE
HAS WORD THAT MARSHALL BROWN
IS LIVING IN THE AREA.
THAT'S HIM.
LET'S GO.
A 15-PERSON TASK FORCE
STAKES OUT THE ADDRESS.
Oller:
WE JUST CONVERGED ON HIM.
FREEZE!
FREEZE, FREEZE,
FREEZE, FREEZE, DROP!
HANDS ON YOUR HEAD!
HANDS ON YOUR HEAD!
HE WAS TOTALLY SHOCKED,
STUNNED,
NEVER MOVED,
NEVER MOVED A MUSCLE.
UH...HE WAS NOT ARMED.
Narrator:
AFTER THREE YEARS, THREE MONTHS,
AND NINE DAYS ON THE RUN,
MARSHALL BROWN
IS FINALLY IN HANDCUFFS.
Brown:
I KNEW THEN I WAS CAUGHT,
THAT THERE WAS NO WAY
TO GET AWAY.
IT FELT LIKE
A PIECE OF CRAP, MAN.
IT FELT LIKE, UH...TEARS.
FOR REAL.
KEEP IT REAL -- TEARS.
Narrator:
BROWN MAY BE CAUGHT,
BUT HE'S NOT FINISHED
FIGHTING THE POLICE.
HE'S ABOUT TO MAKE
HIS MOST DESPERATE ATTEMPT YET
TO AVOID GOING BACK TO PRISON.
KILL ME!
HE REPEATEDLY, PROBABLY
SIX OR EIGHT TIMES SAID,
"YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO
KILL ME TODAY
'CAUSE I'M NOT
GOING BACK TO PRISON."
KILL ME!
KILL ME!
SHUT UP!
WE ALL LOOKED AT EACH OTHER LIKE
WE HAD NEVER SEEN THIS BEFORE.
I MEAN,
THIS GUY IS DEAD SERIOUS.
STAY DOWN!
KILL ME!
I DID NOT WANT TO GO
BACK TO PRISON ALIVE.
I'D RATHER BE DEAD
IN A MILLION BURNING HELLS
IF THERE'S SUCH A THING.
Narrator: BROWN DECIDES
THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY OUT --
SUICIDE BY COP.
HE FIGURES
IF HE ATTEMPTS AN ESCAPE,
THEY'LL BE FORCED TO SHOOT HIM.
Brown:
I LOOKED UP IN THE SKY...
AND TOOK A DEEP BREATH
AND PREPARED MYSELF
FOR WHAT I THOUGHT WAS DEATH
WITH THE HOPES
THAT OUT OF ALL THEM GUNS,
SOMEBODY WOULD JUMP THE GUN.
OH!
FREEZE!
Narrator: THE COPS GIVE CHASE,
BUT HOLD THEIR FIRE.
AS BROWN NEARS
A BUSY INTERSECTION,
SPECIAL AGENT OLLER
TACKLES THE FUGITIVE
AND PULLS HIM TO THE GROUND.
WE BOTH SLID
ALONG THE CONCRETE PAVEMENT
FOR ABOUT 10 OR 12 FEET,
AND WE SCRAPED OUR --
PROBABLY AT LEAST
THE TOP LAYER OF SKIN
OFF OUR ARMS AND OUR SHOULDERS.
WE BOTH CAME UP A BLOODY MESS.
HE WAS STILL KICKING.
HE WAS STILL TRYING
TO FIGHT WITH HIS HANDCUFFS ON.
[ SIREN WAILS ]
[ POLICE RADIO CHATTER ]
Narrator: MARSHALL BROWN
IS FINALLY CAUGHT.
NOW HE MUST FACE UP TO
HIS OWN WORST NIGHTMARE.
Brown:
I WOULDN'T ACCEPT DEATH.
I JUST DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE TO
ACCEPT COMING BACK HERE,
YOU KNOW, AND THAT WAS --
THAT WAS...
[SIGHS]
...TEARS.
YEAH.
Narrator:
BACK IN NORTH CAROLINA,
THE NEWS OF BROWN'S CAPTURE
IS ALMOST TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE.
Anderson:
AT FIRST, I DIDN'T BELIEVE IT.
I WANTED TO VERIFY THAT.
I WANTED TO SEE A PICTURE OF HIM
IN HANDCUFFS.
WE WENT THROUGH
A LOT OF MANPOWER,
A LOT OF RESOURCES,
A LOT OF OVERTIME,
A LOT OF HELP FROM A LOT
OF DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS,
BUT, ULTIMATELY, IT PAID OFF.
Nance: WHEN AN INVESTIGATION
GOES ON THIS DURATION,
THIS PERIOD OF TIME,
THREE YEARS,
YOU LIVE, EAT, AND SLEEP
THE CASE.
THERE'S NO OTHER WAY AROUND IT.
WHEN I GOT THE INFORMATION
THAT MARSHALL BROWN HAD BEEN
CAPTURED IN WASHINGTON, D.C.,
I FELT MY BODY RELAX,
AND IT WAS LIKE,
"FINALLY, CLOSURE.
PUT IT TO REST.
HE'S WHERE HE NEEDS TO BE."
Narrator:
MARSHALL BROWN IS BROUGHT
BEFORE A NORTH CAROLINA JUDGE
TO STAND TRIAL FOR
THE MURDER OF STEVEN CALHOUN.
NO, NO.
PUT THE GUN DOWN.
[ GUNSHOT ]
HE AGREES TO PLEAD NO CONTEST TO
A CHARGE OF SECOND-DEGREE MURDER
WITH THE ADDITION
OF AN AGGRAVATING FACTOR
FOR THE BEATING OF DAVID BROWN.
THE JUDGE ORDERS
A MINIMUM SENTENCE OF 20 YEARS.
EVEN WITH GOOD BEHAVIOR,
MARSHALL BROWN WON'T BE
ELIGIBLE FOR PAROLE UNTIL 2022.
HE'LL BE 63 YEARS OLD.
Anderson:
I THINK OUR COMMUNITIES
ARE SAFER AND BETTER OFF.
I THINK IF
HE WAS ON THE OUTSIDE AGAIN,
THAT HE WOULDN'T HESITATE
TO TAKE A LIFE.
I DON'T THINK MARSHALL BROWN
HAS CHANGED AS A PERSON.
Nance: IF MARSHALL BROWN
IS HELD IN A PRISON,
IF HE STAYS IN THE SYSTEM
UNTIL 2025,
MARSHALL BROWN,
IF HE'S RELEASED AT THAT TIME,
CONSIDERING HIS AGE,
HE MAY NO LONGER AT THAT TIME
BE A DANGER TO SOCIETY.
Brown: IF I HAD MY LIFE
TO DO OVER AGAIN,
I WOULD DO
EVERYTHING DIFFERENT --
EVERYTHING.
Narrator: TODAY, MARSHALL BROWN
IS INMATE 00-50-673
AT THE PAMLICO CORRECTIONAL
INSTITUTION
IN BAYBORO, NORTH CAROLINA.
OVER THE YEARS,
BROWN'S COME TO UNDERSTAND
WHY HE HAS TO BE HERE.
BUT EVEN SO, HE SAYS HE'LL NEVER
STOP WANTING TO GET OUT.
I DON'T THINK NOBODY SHOULD
BE ALLOWED TO PREY ON SOCIETY,
BUT I DON'T THINK NOBODY
WANT TO BE IN PRISON, YOU KNOW?
I DON'T THINK NOBODY
WANT TO BE IN PRISON.
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
AND HE'D KILL AGAIN.
Narrator:
AN ESCAPED PRISONER WITH A
VIOLENT HISTORY IS ON THE LOOSE.
HE GOES BACK TO HIS HOME TURF
TO SETTLE A SCORE.
MARSHALL BROWN WAS REFERRED TO
AS "THE ENFORCER."
Narrator: HIS CAPTURE
IS THE COPS' TOP PRIORITY.
WITH MARSHALL BROWN
WE WERE PREPARED
FOR A POSSIBILITY OF A SHOOTOUT.
GET YOUR HANDS UP!
Narrator: BUT THIS FUGITIVE
IS A MASTER AT ELUDING POLICE.
AND HE WON'T GO DOWN
WITHOUT A FIGHT.
CRIMINALS SOMETIMES
TRY TO ESCAPE FROM JUSTICE.
THIS IS THE STORY OF HOW ONE MAN
ALMOST GOT AWAY WITH IT.
JULY 3, 1977.
HORACE MORRISON SETTLES IN
FOR A QUIET EVENING
AT HIS TAYLORSVILLE,
NORTH CAROLINA, HOME.
HE HAS NO IDEA
THERE'S A PRICE ON HIS HEAD.
HOW LONG HAS IT
BEEN GOING ON?
MORRISON IS ABOUT TO TESTIFY
AGAINST A LOCAL GANG MEMBER.
IT'S A DECISION
THAT WILL COST HIM DEARLY.
THE TRIGGERMAN IS
19-YEAR-OLD MARSHALL LEE BROWN.
HE'S ALREADY A VETERAN
DRUG RUNNER AND HIRED THUG.
BROWN IS PAID $50 TO MAKE SURE
MORRISON KEEPS HIS MOUTH SHUT.
I KNOW THAT WHAT I DID
MADE THE WRONG PEOPLE MAD.
THEY DECIDED THAT HE WAS
A LIABILITY OR THREAT TO THEM.
AND THAT'S THE RULES.
OH, YOU MEAN DOWN
OVER THE HILL...?
[ GLASS SHATTERS ]
Narrator: BROWN
IMMEDIATELY MAKES HIS ESCAPE,
HEADING SOME 350 MILES NORTH
TO WASHINGTON, D.C.,
WHERE HE PLANS TO LAY LOW
UNTIL THINGS COOL DOWN.
Brown: I KEPT THE WEAPON
AND WAS GONNA SELL IT,
AND THE REST OF THEM,
THE WAY IS, YOU KNOW,
THE CODE OF SILENCE --
DON'T SAY NOTHING.
Narrator:
BUT SOMEONE IN THE GANG BREAKS
THAT CODE AND TALKS TO POLICE.
TWO WEEKS AFTER
MORRISON'S MURDER,
BROWN HEARS A KNOCK ON THE DOOR.
I JUST SNATCHED THE DOOR OPEN,
AND IT WAS
TWO UNITED STATES MARSHALS.
Narrator:
ON NOVEMBER 17, 1977,
MARSHALL LEE BROWN IS CONVICTED
OF SECOND-DEGREE MURDER
FOR THE CONTRACT KILLING
OF HORACE MORRISON.
HE'S SENTENCED
TO LIFE IN PRISON.
MY THOUGHT WAS,
"WELL, THAT'S THE END
OF MARSHALL BROWN."
Narrator:
IT'S A BITTER PILL TO SWALLOW,
AND BROWN CAN'T STOP
THINKING ABOUT WHO TO BLAME
FOR PUTTING HIM BEHIND BARS.
Brown: I'M WONDERING
WHO COULD HAVE BETRAYED ME,
YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING,
BECAUSE IT WAS
MORE THAN ONE PERSON INVOLVED,
AND I WONDERED
WHY DID IT COME TO ME?
Narrator: HE'S ASSIGNED TO THE
NOTORIOUS POLK YOUTH INSTITUTION
IN RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA.
MANY OF POLK'S INMATES
ARE HARD-CORE CRIMINALS,
AND THE CELLBLOCK
IS RULED BY VIOLENCE.
KILL OR BE KILLED
IF IT COME DOWN TO IT.
Narrator: BROWN
DECIDES HE'LL DO WHAT IT TAKES
TO SURVIVE ON THE INSIDE,
BUT ONE WAY OR ANOTHER,
HE'S EVENTUALLY
GOING TO GET OUT.
IT'S BETTER TO BE DEAD
THAN SPEND THE REST OF YOUR LIFE
IN PRISON.
Narrator:
ESCAPE FROM POLK IS DIFFICULT.
BUT BROWN
IS WILLING TO BE PATIENT.
HE SPENDS HIS DAYS
LIFTING WEIGHTS,
PRACTICING MARTIAL ARTS,
AND LEARNING ALL HE CAN
ABOUT WILDERNESS SURVIVAL.
Nance:
I THINK MARSHALL BROWN
WAS GONNA DO EVERYTHING
THAT HE POSSIBLY COULD
TO BE 100% PREPARED FOR THE
JOURNEY HE WAS FIXING TO TAKE.
Narrator:
AS THE YEARS ROLL BY,
BROWN ESTABLISHES HIMSELF
AS A MODEL PRISONER.
GOOD DAY, OFFICER.
WHAT'S GOING ON?
AFTER 16 YEARS BEHIND BARS,
HIS GOOD BEHAVIOR
EARNS HIM A TRANSFER
TO A MINIMUM-SECURITY FACILITY
IN CHARLOTTE.
MARSHALL BROWN IS BASICALLY
A VERY INTELLIGENT INDIVIDUAL.
HE KNOWS HOW TO MANIPULATE
OTHERS AND HIMSELF.
HE CAN HAVE THE DISCIPLINE,
IF YOU WILL,
TO GET WHAT HE DESIRES.
Narrator: BROWN MANAGES
TO GET HIMSELF ENROLLED
IN A PRISON
WORK-RELEASE PROGRAM.
EACH MORNING, HE'S TRANSPORTED
TO A COUNTY CONSTRUCTION PROJECT
IN DOWNTOWN CHARLOTTE.
BROWN IS TRUSTED TO WORK
WITHOUT THE SUPERVISION
OF CORRECTIONS OFFICERS.
IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY
HE CAN'T RESIST.
THE MORNING OF APRIL 12, 1996,
AFTER MORE THAN 19 YEARS
IN PRISON,
MARSHALL BROWN WALKS OFF
THE JOBSITE AND DISAPPEARS.
BY THE TIME PRISON OFFICIALS
GET WORD THAT BROWN'S MISSING,
THE ESCAPEE
IS ALREADY OUT OF THE AREA.
HE EVENTUALLY MAKES HIS WAY
TO THE WOODS OUTSIDE CHARLOTTE.
WELL, AFTER
I HAD MADE MY WAY TO --
OUT OF THE IMMEDIATE
AREA OF DANGER, YOU MIGHT SAY,
I GOT ON MY KNEES
AND KISSED THE GROUND
AND SPENT MY FIRST NIGHT
OUTDOORS UNDER THE STARS.
HE WAS GONNA REMAIN
ON THE TOP-PRIORITY LIST
UNTIL HE WAS CAPTURED.
Narrator:
ROCKY NANCE WAS A LIEUTENANT
WITH THE NORTH CAROLINA
DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
FUGITIVE RECOVERY TEAM
BACK IN 1996.
WE'RE GONNA CHECK EVERY LEAD
WE GET NO MATTER HOW MINOR,
NO MATTER
HOW INSIGNIFICANT IT MAY SEEM.
WE'RE GONNA TURN OVER
EVERY ROCK, EVERY STONE.
NANCE IS SURPRISED TO FIND
A NOTE IN BROWN'S PRISON LOCKER
APOLOGIZING FOR HIS ESCAPE,
AND, IN A WARNING TO ANY
WOULD-BE CAPTORS, BROWN WRITES,
"WHATEVER WILL BE WILL BE!"
THE NOTE IN THE LOCKER
WOULD CONCLUDE TO THE SAME THING
THAT HE WAS GONNA DO
AND BE WILLING TO DO
ANYTHING HE NEEDED TO DO
TO STAY A FREE MAN.
Brown: I HAD MADE UP MY MIND
THAT THERE WAS NO WAY
I WAS GONNA LET THEM
CATCH ME ALIVE.
Narrator: BROWN KNOWS HE'S
GOT TO STAY BELOW THE RADAR.
HE'S THE SUBJECT
OF A STATEWIDE MANHUNT,
AND HIS MUG SHOT'S
BEEN ON THE LOCAL NEWS.
BROWN GETS A TENT AND A SUPPLY
OF FOOD FROM AN OLD FRIEND.
HE SPENDS MOST OF HIS TIME
HIDING OUT
DEEP IN
THE NORTH CAROLINA WOODS,
DRAWING ON HIS ARMY TRAINING
AND THE WILDERNESS-SURVIVAL
SKILLS HE LEARNED IN PRISON.
BROWN HAS A PORTABLE SCANNER
TO MONITOR POLICE ACTIVITY.
HE HOPES TO GET A WARNING
IF THE COPS MOVE INTO HIS AREA.
Brown:
IN A WAY, IT'S SO STRESSFUL.
IT WAS MORE STRESSFUL
THAN EVEN DOING THE TIME,
YOU SEE, BECAUSE
YOU CAN'T GO TO SLEEP SOUND
BECAUSE YOU GOT TO
KEEP YOUR EARS OPEN.
YOU GOT TO USE YOUR NOSE
TO TRY TO SMELL PEOPLE,
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
YOU GOT TO JUST --
IT'S ON THE EDGE,
AND IT'S ABOUT LIKE
A DEER IN DEER SEASON.
Narrator: BROWN WANTS TO MOVE
ABOUT 40 MILES NORTH
TO THE SMALL TOWN
OF STATESVILLE,
WHERE HE CAN BE CLOSE
TO MEMBERS OF HIS OLD GANG.
HE SPENDS THE NEXT FEW NIGHTS
TRAVELING THROUGH THE WOODS
UNDER COVER OF DARKNESS,
HOPING TO AVOID DETECTION.
HE'S CAREFUL
NOT TO USE A FLASHLIGHT
WHEN MOVING
NEAR POPULATED AREAS.
IN 'NAM WE CALLED IT
"NIGHT EYES" --
THE NIGHT-VISION STUFF
THEY DIDN'T HAVE,
OR IT WAS JUST
COMING IN TO BEING, SHALL I SAY.
SO THEY TRAINED US
HOW TO JUST --
YOU HAD TO USE YOUR SENSES
TO SEE IN THE DARK, ANYWAY.
Narrator: BROWN MAKES IT
TO THE STATESVILLE AREA
AND SETS UP HIS TENT
OUTSIDE OF TOWN.
HE FEELS RELATIVELY SAFE
HIDING OUT IN THE WOODS,
BUT AS WINTER APPROACHES,
IT'S TIME FOR A CHANGE.
IT CAN BECOME DEPRESSING
'CAUSE YOU'RE SITTING THERE,
AND YOU CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH.
HUMAN NATURE, YOU CAN ONLY
STAY IN THE WOODS SO LONG.
YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE CONTACT.
YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE
FOOD, CLOTHING, AND SHELTER
AT SOME POINT.
Narrator: BROWN DIDN'T BREAK OUT
OF PRISON JUST TO MAKE FRIENDS.
HE WANTS TO GET BACK IN THE DRUG
GAME AND MAKE SOME FAST MONEY.
LESS THAN ONE WEEK
AFTER HIS ESCAPE,
BROWN HOOKS UP
WITH SOME OF HIS FORMER GANG
IN STATESVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA.
THE THING WAS TO WORK WITH THEM
AND EARN ENOUGH FUZZ
AND THEN, YOU KNOW,
LEAVE THE COUNTRY.
Narrator:
BROWN GOES BACK TO WORK AS
A DRUG RUNNER AND HIRED MUSCLE.
MARSHALL BROWN WAS REFERRED TO
AS THE ENFORCER.
IF SOMEONE IN THE DRUG BUSINESS
WAS DELINQUENT
OR DIDN'T PAY FOR THEIR DRUGS,
THEN MARSHALL BROWN
WOULD BE SENT OUT TO COLLECT,
AND, IF NECESSARY,
KILL THOSE INDIVIDUALS
FOR NOT DOING THEIR PART.
IT WAS A TRADE
THAT HE WAS VERY FAMILIAR WITH,
AND HE WAS ABLE TO PLUG
AND PLAY RIGHT BACK INTO IT.
Narrator:
ALONG WITH THE EASY MONEY COMES
AN INCREASED RISK OF CAPTURE.
BROWN KEEPS
A CONSTANT LOOKOUT FOR POLICE.
I CAN'T RELAX, AND
YOU GOT TO SUSPECT EVERYTHING
YEAR AFTER YEAR,
MINUTE AFTER MINUTE.
EVEN IF YOU THINK
YOU OUT SOMEWHERE
TRYING TO HAVE A GOOD TIME
OR DRINK A FEW BEERS
OR GOT A LADY WITH YOU,
IT STILL DON'T STOP.
IT'S ALMOST LIKE BEING IN
PRISON, BUT YOU AIN'T IN PRISON.
Narrator: AND IF THE COPS
EVER GET HIM IN A CORNER,
BROWN'S PREPARED TO FIGHT BACK.
HE'S KNOWN
TO CARRY A MAC 10 MACHINE PISTOL
WITH A 32-ROUND CLIP.
AND HE CARRIES
A SMALL CUBE OF PURE HEROIN,
PART OF A GRIM PLAN
OF LAST RESORT
TO MAKE SURE
HE'S NEVER TAKEN ALIVE.
Brown:
THAT WAS MY SUICIDE PACKAGE.
IF I GOT BOXED IN
AND COULDN'T ELUDE OR EVADE,
I WAS JUST GOING TO EAT IT,
AND I KNOW THAT I WOULD FEEL
NO PAIN AFTER THAT.
Nance: ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS
INDIVIDUALS YOU CAN CONFRONT
IS SOMEONE
THAT'S READY AND WILLING TO DIE.
THERE'S NO BARGAINING.
THERE'S NO NEGOTIATION.
IT'S YOU OR THEM, UNFORTUNATELY.
Narrator: BROWN'S ACTIVITY
HAS HIM MOVING IN AND OUT
OF KNOWN DRUG AREAS
AROUND NORTH CAROLINA.
HE WORKS MOSTLY AT NIGHT,
TAKING EXTRA CARE TO AVOID
ANY CONTACT WITH POLICE.
WE WERE UNAWARE
THAT THERE WAS A PRISON ESCAPEE
POSSIBLY
IN THE STATESVILLE AREA.
WE HAD NO IDEA
WHO MARSHALL BROWN WAS.
Narrator: JUST A FEW WEEKS
AFTER ESCAPING FROM PRISON,
BROWN'S MAKING A ROUTINE DRUG
RUN FOR A STATESVILLE DEALER.
[ SIREN WAILS ]
[ POLICE RADIO CHATTER ]
Brown: I LOOK UP,
AND IT'S A BLUE LIGHT BEHIND ME.
SO I'M SAYING,
"OOH, WOW. OKAY."
Narrator: BROWN FIGURES
HE'S BEING PULLED OVER
FOR A MINOR TRAFFIC VIOLATION.
EVEN SO, HE KNOWS HE CAN'T
RISK AN INTERACTION WITH POLICE.
MOST ANY OFFICER, IF YOU
CAN'T PRODUCE IDENTIFICATION,
THEY'RE GONNA RUN YOUR NAME,
DATE OF BIRTH,
AND IF THEY'RE NOT SATISFIED,
THEY'RE GONNA BRING YOU IN,
FINGERPRINT YOU,
AND THEY'RE GONNA
FIND OUT WHO YOU ARE.
Brown:
I STOPPED, BUT I DON'T TURN
THE ENGINE OFF, AND HE GETS OUT.
BY THE TIME HE GETS TO THE
BACK END OF THE CAR, I TAKE OFF.
[ TIRES SCREECH ]
[ SIREN WAILING ]
Narrator: HE HEADS
FOR A FAMILIAR NEIGHBORHOOD
AS ANOTHER SQUAD CAR
JOINS THE CHASE.
USUALLY WHEN PEOPLE TRY TO EVADE
THE POLICE IN A VEHICLE,
THEY ARE TRYING
TO GET BACK TO THEIR --
I GUESS THEIR HOME TURF
SO THEY HAVE
A BETTER CHANCE OF ESCAPING,
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HE DID.
[ TIRES SCREECH ]
Narrator: BROWN JUMPS A CURB
AND DRIVES THROUGH A YARD,
OUTMANEUVERING THE COPS.
JUST WHEN IT
LOOKS LIKE HE'S GETTING AWAY,
A CONCERNED CITIZEN
TRIES TO RUN HIM OFF THE ROAD.
HE TRIED TO DO
LIKE A RACECAR DRIVER --
YOU KNOW HOW THEY DO
WHEN THEY TRY TO FORCE
EACH OTHER OUT OF THE WAY?
YEAH, HE TRIED TO
JUST FORCE ME OFF THE ROAD.
HE WAS DEFINITELY
IN THE PATH OF MARSHALL BROWN.
Anderson:
HE COULD HAVE KIDNAPPED HIM,
KILLED HIM, TAKEN HIS VEHICLE,
AND THE CHASE
WOULD HAVE CONTINUED.
THERE WAS A MOMENT RIGHT THERE
WHERE I THOUGHT THEY HAD ME
BECAUSE UNLESS I COULD
THINK OF SOMETHING QUICK,
I WAS IN THE OPEN.
Narrator:
AS THE COPS CLOSE OFF THE ALLEY,
MARSHALL BROWN
IS RUNNING OUT OF OPTIONS.
Brown: I'M THINKING,
"WHAT'S THE NEXT STEP?
WHAT'S THE NEXT STEP?"
[ SIREN WAILING ]
Narrator: IN THE SUMMER OF 1996,
ESCAPED MURDERER MARSHALL BROWN
FLEES FROM POLICE
DURING A ROUTINE TRAFFIC STOP.
THEY CAUGHT ME RIGHT IN THE
MIDDLE OF THESE TWO BUILDINGS,
AND THE ONLY THING I HAD
ON MY SIDE WAS DARKNESS.
WELL, I KNEW THAT I HAD
TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING QUICK.
Narrator: THE COPS
CLOSE IN ON BROWN'S POSITION.
HE'S TRAPPED
WITH NO PLACE TO RUN OR HIDE.
BUT AS THE SEARCH LIGHTS
SHINE IN HIS DIRECTION,
BROWN LIES DOWN ON THE PAVEMENT,
AND THE COPS PASS BY
WITHOUT SEEING HIM.
THERE WAS A MOMENT RIGHT THERE
WHERE I THOUGHT THEY HAD ME.
Narrator:
WHEN THE COAST IS CLEAR,
BROWN HEADS BACK
TO TELL HIS GANG WHAT HAPPENED.
Brown: WHEN I WALKED IN,
EVERYBODY LOOKED AT ME LIKE,
"WOW. WHERE YOU BEEN?"
BUT I WAS RELIEVED THAT,
AGAIN, LIKE I SAID,
THE RUSH AND THE HEARTBEAT,
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN,
AND I FELT LIKE, "OKAY, WELL,
THAT WAS KIND OF TOO CLOSE."
Narrator:
EVADING AND AVOIDING
AREN'T BROWN'S ONLY STRATEGIES
FOR DODGING THE LAW.
HE TRIES TO KEEP A LOW PROFILE
AND BLEND IN
WITH THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
HE USES VARIOUS ALIASES
AND EVEN DISGUISES
TO MINIMIZE HIS CHANCES
OF BEING RECOGNIZED.
A COUPLE OF TIMES, I USED A WIG.
Narrator: AND BROWN
WEARS LONG-SLEEVE SHIRTS
TO HIDE THE DISTINCTIVE YIN-YANG
TATTOO ON HIS RIGHT FOREARM.
Brown: SOMETIMES DISGUISES
DON'T HOLD UP UNDER SCRUTINY,
SO THERE'S
A PROPER TIME TO USE IT.
FOR ME,
IT WAS LIKE TWILIGHT HOURS
WHERE JUST, YOU KNOW,
ALMOST DARK.
I DON'T HAVE YOUR MONEY!
Narrator:
DECEMBER 28, 1996.
A STATESVILLE PATROL OFFICER
RESPONDS TO A MINOR DISTURBANCE.
Anderson: ONE OF OUR OFFICERS
STOPPED A VEHICLE
THAT WAS DRIVEN BY A FEMALE
THAT WAS ACTUALLY
IN SOME TYPE OF ARGUMENT
WITH A LARGE BLACK MALE
WEARING DREADLOCKS.
HE WAS ACTUALLY
WALKING BESIDE A VEHICLE,
AND THEY WERE
SHOUTING BACK AND FORTH.
Narrator:
WHEN THE OFFICER INTERVENES,
HE HAS NO WAY OF KNOWING
THE DREADLOCKED MAN
IS AN ESCAPED MURDERER.
Anderson:
WHEN HE STOPPED THE VEHICLE,
THE MALE PERSON,
WHO WAS LATER DETERMINED TO BE
MARSHALL BROWN, WALKED AWAY,
AND THE OFFICER
SPOKE TO THE FEMALE.
EVENING, MISS.
Narrator: THE WOMAN IDENTIFIES
HERSELF AS PAMELA LEWIS
AND SAYS THE DREADLOCKED MAN IS
HER BOYFRIEND, ROBERT JACKSON.
THE OFFICER MAKES SURE
LEWIS IS OKAY,
THEN HE DRIVES DOWN THE STREET
TO TALK TO HER BOYFRIEND.
BUT BROWN MANAGES
TO DISAPPEAR YET AGAIN.
Anderson:
THE OFFICER THAT MADE THAT STOP
HAD NO IDEA WHO THE SUSPECT WAS
BECAUSE A CRIME WASN'T
BEING COMMITTED RIGHT THEN,
SO HE WOULD HAVE HAD
NO REASON TO CHASE HIM DOWN.
Narrator: WHEN THE PATROL CAR
FINALLY DRIVES OFF,
BROWN MAKES HIS WAY
OUT OF THE AREA.
IT'S GETTING LATE, AND HE'S GOT
OTHER BUSINESS TO ATTEND TO.
IN FACT,
IN JUST A FEW SHORT HOURS,
HE'LL COMMIT A CRIME
THAT WILL SHOCK THE RESIDENTS
OF THIS SMALL TOWN.
AT AROUND 5:00 A.M.,
MARSHALL BROWN IS HEADED TO
A SOUTH STATESVILLE NEIGHBORHOOD
TO DO A DRUG DEAL.
I WAS GOING DOWN THERE WITH
ABOUT HALF A POUND OF CRACK.
Narrator:
THE MEETING IS TO TAKE PLACE
IN A VAN PARKED
NEAR THE RAILROAD TRACKS.
[ INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS ]
IT WAS A VAN USED
FOR THE USE OF CRACK COCAINE
AND ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES.
Man:
HEY, COME ON IN, MAN.
Woman: HEY.
HEY, HEY.
ABOUT TIME.
ABOUT TIME. HEY.
[ LAUGHS ]
Narrator:
BROWN CLIMBS IN THE VAN
AND TAKES A SEAT
ACROSS FROM STEVEN CALHOUN.
ACCORDING TO POLICE,
BROWN AND CALHOUN
HAVE SOME UNSETTLED BUSINESS.
STEVEN CALHOUN OWED MARSHALL
BROWN A LARGE SUM OF MONEY
FOR SOME DRUGS
AND HAD NOT PAID THIS BACK.
Narrator: THE GROUP IS
IN THE VAN FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES
WHEN BROWN SUDDENLY
PULLS OUT A .30-CALIBER PISTOL.
[ GASPS ]
WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
WITHOUT SAYING A WORD,
HE POINTS THE GUN
AT STEVEN CALHOUN'S HEAD.
ONE THING THE WITNESSES TOLD US
IS THAT THERE WAS NO FIGHT
THAT LED UP TO THIS OR ANY
ARGUMENT THAT LED UP TO IT.
IT WAS JUST OUT OF THE BLUE.
COME ON, MAN.
THE MONEY, MAN.
I WANT THE MONEY.
NO, NO.
PUT THE GUN DOWN.
[ GUNSHOT ]
Narrator:
AFTER KILLING CALHOUN,
POLICE SAY MARSHALL BROWN
TURNS HIS ATTENTION
TO THE OTHER PEOPLE IN THE VAN.
HE POINTS THE GUN
AT CALHOUN'S FRIEND DAVID BROWN
AND SQUEEZES THE TRIGGER.
WHEN THE GUN FAILS TO FIRE,
MARSHALL BROWN USES IT
TO BEAT HIS VICTIM IN THE HEAD.
Brown: I HAD TO REALLY,
YOU KNOW, PUT IT ON HIM.
IT DON'T TAKE MUCH
TO HURT SOMEBODY
IF YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
Narrator:
THE TWO OTHER WITNESSES
ESCAPE FROM THE VAN.
DAVID BROWN BEGS FOR HIS LIFE.
[ Weakly ] WAIT.
WAIT.
[ GUN CLICKING ]
DON'T TELL ANYBODY
I WAS HERE.
Narrator:
WITH THAT WARNING,
MARSHALL BROWN LEAVES HIS VICTIM
LYING ON THE GROUND
AND DISAPPEARS INTO THE DARK.
Brown:
WELL, THAT PARTICULAR AREA,
I COULD TRAVEL OKAY AT NIGHT --
THEY GOT RAILROAD TRACKS,
AND I COULD GO ANYWHERE UNSEEN
ALMOST IN THAT TOWN,
BELIEVE IT OR NOT.
[ TRAIN CLATTERS ]
Anderson: HE WAS DEFINITELY
A DANGEROUS INDIVIDUAL,
AND WE HAD TO DO THE BEST WE CAN
TO GET HIM INTO CUSTODY.
[ SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY ]
Narrator: STATESVILLE
POLICE CHIEF TOM ANDERSON
WAS A YOUNG DETECTIVE
BACK IN 1996
WHEN HE'S ASSIGNED TO
INVESTIGATE THE CALHOUN MURDER.
THE BODY OF STEVEN CALHOUN WAS
STILL IN THE VAN WHEN I ARRIVED,
AND I ARRIVED WITHIN 30 MINUTES
OF THE ACTUAL INCIDENT
TAKING PLACE.
Narrator:
ANDERSON SAYS HE'LL NEVER FORGET
THAT COLD DECEMBER MORNING
WHEN HE FIRST GOT ON THE SCENE.
AT THAT TIME, THE VAN WAS
LOCATED ABOUT 20 TO 30 FEET
WHERE ALL THIS OVERGROWN BRUSH
IS NOW LOCATED.
Narrator: WHEN ANDERSON
QUESTIONS DAVID BROWN
AND THE OTHER WITNESSES
FROM THE VAN,
HE DISCOVERS
THE MAN HE'S LOOKING FOR
IS A FUGITIVE
WITH A VIOLENT HISTORY.
THIS WAS A LOT BIGGER
THAN WE KNEW GOING INTO IT.
Narrator: AND ANDERSON LEARNS
A DISPUTE OVER DRUG MONEY
ISN'T BROWN'S ONLY MOTIVE
FOR KILLING CALHOUN.
IT TURNS OUT STEVEN CALHOUN
IS THE MAN BROWN BELIEVES
BETRAYED HIM BACK IN 1977
BY TELLING POLICE ABOUT HIS ROLE
IN THE CONTRACT KILLING
OF HORACE MORRISON.
[ GLASS SHATTERS ]
Anderson: STEVEN CALHOUN
ACTUALLY TESTIFIED
AS A STATE WITNESS
AGAINST MARSHALL BROWN
IN THE 1977 CASE THAT PUT HIM
IN PRISON TO BEGIN WITH,
SO, I MEAN, WE GOT
TWO REALLY STRONG MOTIVES.
Narrator: THE CALHOUN MURDER
SERVES TO RAISE THE STAKES
IN THE HUNT FOR MARSHALL BROWN.
[ GUNSHOT ]
AND A JOINT TASK FORCE
OF LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL
LAW-ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES
IS FORMED TO FIND THE FUGITIVE.
A $5,000 REWARD IS OFFERED
FOR INFORMATION
LEADING TO HIS ARREST.
Nance:
THERE WAS A TRUE FEAR
THAT HE WAS GONNA
REMAIN AT LARGE AWHILE LONGER,
AND, OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S A FEAR
THAT HE'S GONNA TAKE
SOMEONE ELSE'S LIFE.
Narrator: NANCE KNOWS
THAT ONE WAY OR ANOTHER,
BROWN'S LUCK
WILL EVENTUALLY RUN OUT.
PEOPLE CAN ONLY STAY ON THE RUN
SO LONG NO MATTER WHERE THEY GO.
Narrator:
IN FEBRUARY OF 1997,
LESS THAN TWO MONTHS
AFTER THE CALHOUN MURDER,
NANCE GETS A LEAD
THAT PUTS HIM HOT ON THE TRAIL
OF MARSHALL BROWN --
AN INFORMANT GIVES HIM A PHONE
NUMBER FOR BROWN'S PAGER.
Nance:
THAT'S HOW PEOPLE GOT AHOLD
OF HIM WHEN THEY NEEDED DRUGS
OR DRUG TRANSACTIONS.
Narrator:
NANCE GETS A COURT ORDER
TO HAVE BROWN'S PAGER CLONED.
THAT MEANS WHENEVER BROWN IS
PAGED TO MAKE A DRUG DELIVERY,
NANCE'S CLONED PAGER
RECEIVES THE SAME MESSAGE.
A NUMBER WOULD SHOW UP,
THEN YOU'D SEE A 911 BESIDE IT,
WHICH WE LEARNED THAT SOMEONE
NEEDED DRUGS RIGHT THEN,
AND THIS WAS AN URGENT MESSAGE.
WE'D CERTAINLY TRY TO GET OUT
THERE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE
TO SEE IF WE COULD CATCH
MARSHALL BROWN
COMING TO THAT AREA
OR TO THAT HOME.
Narrator:
IN THE SPRING OF 1997,
NANCE INTERCEPTS A PAGE
DIRECTING BROWN
TO A DRUG HOUSE IN STATESVILLE.
WE HAD GOOD INFORMATION
WHICH MEANT THAT WE ALREADY
SECURED SEARCH WARRANTS
FOR THAT PROPERTY.
Man: THAT'S HOW WE DO.
THAT'S HOW WE DO THAT.
OKAY, GUYS.
Narrator: NANCE AND HIS TEAM ARE
AT THE ADDRESS WITHIN MINUTES.
Nance:
THE ADRENALINE RUSH WAS EXTREME.
YOU THINK,
"THIS IS GONNA BE THE TIME.
"THIS IS WHERE HE'S GONNA BE.
WE'RE GONNA MAKE
A CAPTURE TONIGHT."
[ INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS
AND LAUGHTER ]
Narrator:
AFTER MONTHS ON THE HUNT,
LIEUTENANT NANCE IS READY
TO BRING FUGITIVE MARSHALL BROWN
TO JUSTICE,
BUT HE COULD BE LEADING HIS MEN
INTO A FIRESTORM.
THE GANG MEMBERS INSIDE THE
HOUSE ARE PROBABLY WELL-ARMED,
AND BROWN'S MADE IT KNOWN
THAT HE WON'T GO DOWN
WITHOUT A FIGHT.
SEE, IF WE ENCOUNTERED
MARSHALL BROWN,
IT WAS PROBABLY GONNA BE
A SHOOTOUT.
Narrator:
SPRING 1997.
NORTH CAROLINA
DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
FUGITIVE HUNTER ROCKY NANCE
INTERCEPTS A PAGE
DIRECTING MARSHALL BROWN
TO A KNOWN DRUG HOUSE.
[ LAUGHS ]
Nance: THIS IS THE TIME,
THIS IS THE NIGHT,
THIS IS WHERE IT'S GONNA END,
AND I HAD VERY HIGH HOPES.
Narrator:
BROWN HAS MADE IT KNOWN
THAT HE WON'T BE TAKEN ALIVE.
NANCE AND HIS MEN
NEED TO BE READY FOR ANYTHING.
ALL RIGHT, READY?
WE'RE GOING IN.
ALL RIGHT.
I'M ON IT.
HE WAS TO BE CONSIDERED
EXTREMELY DANGEROUS --
ARMED AND DANGEROUS.
UGH!
Man: EVERYBODY,
GET YOUR HANDS UP!
GET YOUR HANDS UP!
DROP THAT CIGARETTE!
STAND UP!
Narrator: THE COPS MOVE FAST
TO CLEAR THE HOUSE.
YOU KIDDING ME?
Nance: I'VE BEEN IN THE BUSINESS
A LONG TIME,
AND YOU'VE YET TO SHOW ME A
SAFE WAY TO LOOK UNDER A BED...
IN A CLOSET...
OR STICK YOUR HEAD
THROUGH AN ATTIC DOOR.
IT'S JUST VERY DANGEROUS,
AND YOU PUT YOURSELF AT RISK
EACH AND EVERY TIME YOU DO IT.
Narrator: BUT MARSHALL BROWN
IS NOWHERE TO BE FOUND,
AND NO ONE IN THE HOUSE
IS WILLING TO TALK.
Nance:
MARSHALL MADE IT POINT-BLANK
KNOWN TO OTHER PEOPLE
IF YOU SNITCH OR RAT ME OUT
OR TURN OVER ON ME,
I WILL KILL YOU
AND YOUR FAMILY.
Narrator:
NANCE USES THE CLONED PAGER
FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS,
RESPONDING TO DOZENS OF CALLS AT
ALL HOURS OF THE DAY AND NIGHT.
Nance:
I'D LEAVE THE HOUSE AT NIGHT.
MY CHILDREN WOULD SAY,
"WHERE ARE YOU GOING, DADDY?"
I SAID, "I'VE GOT TO GO LOOK.
I'M GONNA GO LOOK
FOR MARSHALL BROWN."
AND THEY'RE LIKE,
"YOU GOT YOUR VEST ON?"
Narrator: AND WHILE SEVERAL
DRUG DEALERS ARE ARRESTED
AS A BY-PRODUCT
OF THE CLONED-PAGER OPERATION,
MARSHALL BROWN SOMEHOW MANAGES
TO STAY ONE STEP
AHEAD OF THE LAW.
Nance: I CAN RELATE DOZENS OF
TIMES THAT I JUST FELT CONFIDENT
AND CERTAIN THAT WE HAD HIM, AND
WE HAD THE RIGHT INFORMATION,
AND WE WERE
DOING THE RIGHT THINGS,
AND, LIKE I SAID,
WE'D COME UP EMPTY.
IT WOULD AMAZE ME AT TIMES.
I'M LIKE, "HE WAS SO ELUSIVE."
AND, UH...
AND IT'S DISTURBING.
Narrator: IT'S BROWN'S
WELL-DEVELOPED SENSE OF PARANOIA
THAT HELPS KEEP HIM ONE STEP
AHEAD OF NANCE'S OPERATION.
HE'S ALWAYS
ON THE LOOKOUT FOR COPS
AND SPENDS AT LEAST AN HOUR
SCOPING OUT THE AREA
BEFORE ENTERING A DRUG HOUSE.
IF SOMETHING'S NOT RIGHT, HE'LL
HOLD OFF UNTIL THINGS COOL DOWN.
Brown:
SUSPECTING EVERYTHING --
BECAUSE YOU'RE TRYING TO DO
EVERYTHING YOU CAN
NOT TO GET CAUGHT.
Nance: I DON'T WANT TO MAKE IT
SOUND LESS THAN IT IS,
BUT IT IS
A HUGE GAME OF HIDE-AND-SEEK.
THAT'S WHAT IT BOILED DOWN TO.
Narrator: AS THE WEEKS ROLL BY
WITH NO SIGN OF BROWN,
POLICE BEGIN TO SUSPECT
HE'S LEFT THE AREA.
THEN STATESVILLE DETECTIVE
TOM ANDERSON
GETS A PROMISING TIP.
HEY, GUYS, YOU STILL LOOKING
FOR THAT GUY ON THE POSTER?
YEAH, YEAH.
Anderson: WE GOT INFORMATION
FROM A BYSTANDER
THAT THEY SAW WHO THEY BELIEVED
TO BE MARSHALL BROWN
IN AN AREA OF SOUTH STATESVILLE,
AND MYSELF
AND THIS OTHER INVESTIGATOR
WERE A MATTER OF 20 SECONDS AWAY
FROM THAT LOCATION.
[ TIRES SCREECH ]
Narrator:
ANDERSON AND HIS PARTNER
RUSH TO THE LOCATION
AND CONFRONT THE SUSPECT.
WE WERE PROFESSIONAL, YET DIRECT
IN TELLING HIM
HOW TO SHOW US HIS I.D.
AND, YOU KNOW,
LIFT UP HIS SHIRT
AND MAKE SURE
THERE WERE NO WEAPONS.
MY HAND WAS ON MY WEAPON
IN CASE I NEEDED IT.
Narrator: THE SUSPECT
MATCHES BROWN'S DESCRIPTION...
...RIGHT DOWN TO THE YIN
AND YANG TATTOO ON HIS ARM.
BUT AFTER A FEW TENSE MOMENTS,
ANDERSON DETERMINES
THIS ISN'T THEIR MAN.
Anderson:
IT MAKES THE HAIR RAISE UP
ON THE BACK OF YOUR NECK
WHEN YOU SEE SOMEONE YOU THINK
IS WHO YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
ONCE AGAIN, SORRY.
NO PROBLEM, MAN.
Narrator:
ANDERSON'S NOT SURPRISED TO HEAR
THE MAN'S BEEN MISTAKEN
FOR BROWN BEFORE.
SINCE THE CALHOUN MURDER,
BROWN'S FACE
IS ALL OVER THE MEDIA,
AND BOTH CITIZENS AND POLICE ARE
ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THE FUGITIVE.
WE HAD GHOST SIGHTINGS
ALL OVER TOWN OF MARSHALL BROWN,
AND, APPARENTLY,
WE HAD A NUMBER OF PEOPLE
THAT LOOK LIKE MARSHALL BROWN
THAT WERE ON THE STREETS.
Narrator:
ANDERSON BELIEVES THERE MUST BE
SOMEONE IN STATESVILLE
WHO CAN TELL HIM WHERE
THE REAL MARSHALL BROWN IS.
ACTING ON A HUNCH, HE DECIDES
TO QUESTION PAMELA LEWIS,
THE WOMAN
SEEN ARGUING WITH BROWN
THE NIGHT OF THE CALHOUN MURDER.
Anderson:
LUCKILY THAT OFFICER GOT
THE FEMALE-DRIVER'S LICENSE,
GOT THE TAG NUMBER,
GOT US ALL THE INFORMATION WE
NEEDED TO TRACK HER BACK DOWN.
Narrator: LEWIS ADMITS
THAT THE DREADLOCKED MAN
IS INDEED MARSHALL BROWN.
SHE TELLS ANDERSON SHE DIDN'T
KNOW HE WAS AN ESCAPED CONVICT
AND SHE HAS NO IDEA
WHERE HE'S HIDING OUT.
BUT ACCORDING TO POLICE,
WHEN LEWIS LEAVES THE STATION,
SHE SECRETLY MEETS WITH BROWN
AND TELLS HIM
THE COPS ARE ON HIS TRAIL.
THEN BROWN PACKS HIS BAGS,
AND LEWIS DRIVES HIM TO THE
OUTSKIRTS OF WASHINGTON, D.C.
BROWN GOES TO D.C.
TO GET OFF THE COPS' RADAR,
BUT HE CAN'T SEEM
TO STAY OUT OF TROUBLE.
THIS TIME, HE'S ON A DRUG RUN
NEAR THE VIRGINIA BORDER
WHEN HE LOSES TRACK
OF HIS SPEED.
Brown: I DON'T KNOW
WHERE THE STATE TROOPER WAS,
BUT HE WASN'T ANYWHERE.
WHEN I LOOKED UP,
HE'S IN MY MIRROR,
GOT HIS THING ON.
AND I SAID, "OH, MAN. WOW."
Narrator: BROWN PULLS OVER
AND CONSIDERS HIS OPTIONS.
I'M STAYING CALM, BUT
I'M ALSO CALCULATING EVERY MOVE.
Narrator: HE'S THE SUBJECT
OF A STATEWIDE MANHUNT,
CARRYING AN ILLEGAL WEAPON
AND A PACKAGE OF COCAINE.
[ SIREN WAILING ]
THIS STATE TROOPER
IS WALKING INTO
A POTENTIALLY LETHAL SITUATION.
IT'S EXTREMELY DANGEROUS FOR
OFFICERS THAT DO VEHICLE STOPS.
IT'S A VERY LARGE RISK FOR THEM
'CAUSE OFTENTIMES
THESE INDIVIDUALS
WILL SHOOT THAT OFFICER
THE MINUTE HE APPEARS
IN THEIR DRIVER WINDOW
AND THEN SPEED OFF.
I WAS GONNA DO WHAT I HAD TO DO
TO TRY TO ELUDE AND EVADE --
EVADE TO GET AWAY.
Narrator: BROWN GRABS HIS MAC 10
OFF THE SEAT
AND STUFFS IT UNDER HIS COAT.
THEN HE
CLIMBS OUT OF THE VEHICLE
AND CALMLY WALKS
TOWARD THE STATE TROOPER.
Narrator:
ESCAPED FUGITIVE MARSHALL BROWN
IS MAKING A DRUG RUN
NEAR THE VIRGINIA BORDER
WHEN A STATE TROOPER
GETS HIM ON RADAR.
THEY GOT ME LIKE
5 OR 10 MILES OVER.
IT WASN'T NOTHING MUCH.
BROWN PULLS OVER,
STUFF HIS GUN IN HIS JACKET,
AND CALMLY
CLIMBS OUT OF THE CAR.
I DON'T THINK MARSHALL BROWN
WOULD HESITATE,
IF IT BECAME NECESSARY,
TO USE DEADLY FORCE
AGAINST LAW ENFORCEMENT.
Narrator: BUT BROWN WOULD RATHER
DO THIS THE EASY WAY.
HIS PLAN IS TO STAY CALM
AND USE HIS CHARM TO
PUT THE STATE TROOPER AT EASE.
HE FIGURES
IF HE PLAYS HIS CARDS RIGHT,
THE OFFICER WON'T KNOW
WHO HE REALLY IS.
WHAT I DO IS I FORGET ABOUT
ALL WHAT I GOT ON ME,
AND I TRY TO FIND
A COMMON GROUND WITH HIM.
IT KIND OF LIKE
BREAKS THE STERN THING
SO THAT NOW HE AIN'T SO ALERT
AS HE MIGHT HAVE
SHOULD HAVE BEEN, OR WHATEVER.
Anderson:
UNLESS AN OFFICER HAS REASON
TO INVESTIGATE FURTHER,
OR SOMETHING
JUST APPEARS OUT OF THE WAY
HE'S NOT GONNA INTERROGATE
EVERY PERSON HE COMES ACROSS,
ESPECIALLY IF SOMEONE'S COMING
ACROSS IN A POSITIVE MANNER.
Narrator: WHEN THE STATE TROOPER
ASKS TO SEE A DRIVER'S LICENSE,
BROWN HANDS HIM
A HIGH-QUALITY FAKE.
Brown:
A FAKE I.D. IS CRITICAL.
IT'S SOMETHING YOU GOT TO HAVE.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
Narrator: THE NAME, ADDRESS,
AND LICENSE NUMBER
BELONG TO AN INNOCENT VICTIM
OF IDENTITY THEFT.
ONLY THE PHOTO
IS THE REAL MARSHALL BROWN.
IT'S GOT TO BE ABLE TO STAND UP
TO AN OFFICER RUNNING IT
AND IT COMING BACK CLEAN.
Narrator: THE TROOPER HAS BROWN
SIT IN THE PATROL CAR
WHILE HE RUNS THE I.D.
Brown:
MY HEART WAS BEATING 'CAUSE
I WAS SITTING RIGHT BESIDE HIM,
AND I HAD A MACHINE PISTOL
UNDER THIS BIG OLD COAT
AND EVERYTHING,
AND I WAS LIKE, "WHOO."
Narrator:
BROWN PLAYS IT COOL,
AND HE KEEPS
A CLOSE EYE ON THE TROOPER.
Brown:
I'M READING HIS FACIAL EMOTIONS.
I'M READING HIM,
AND SEEING IF IT'S WORKING
BECAUSE THE ONLY SIGNS I GOT
OF SOMETHING GOING WRONG IS HIM.
Narrator: IF HE SENSES
THE SITUATION TURNING BAD,
BROWN PLANS TO MAKE A GRAB
FOR THE TROOPER'S SIDEARM.
Brown:
HAD IT TURNED TO THE WORST,
I'M PRETTY CONFIDENT THAT
I STILL COULD HAVE CONTROLLED IT
WITHOUT, YOU KNOW,
HAVING TO "HURT HIM" HURT HIM.
I'M THINKING,
"IF I COULD JUST GET THIS WEAPON
OUT THE MIDDLE OF US,
THEN I'M GONNA LET HIM GO."
Narrator: BROWN'S FAKE LICENSE
COMES BACK CLEAN.
THE TROOPER HANDS HIM A SPEEDING
TICKET AND SENDS HIM ON HIS WAY.
IT WAS LIKE, [SIGHS DEEPLY]
IT WAS A RELIEF,
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
IT'D HAVE BEEN A BAD SITUATION.
I'M GLAD
IT DIDN'T HAPPEN, THOUGH,
'CAUSE HE WAS A PRETTY COOL GUY.
I STAYED CALM
AND HE STAYED CALM,
AND THAT'S THE WHOLE THING
ABOUT TRYING TO STAY FREE.
Narrator:
BY THE SPRING OF 1998,
BROWN'S MANAGED TO AVOID CAPTURE
FOR MORE THAN TWO YEARS.
BUT HE'S HAD
SEVERAL CLOSE CALLS,
AND HIS CRIMINAL ACTIVITY
KEEPS BRINGING HIM
INTO CONTACT WITH POLICE.
WHAT'S GOING ON, COREY?
HOW YOU DOING?
BROWN DECIDES IT'S TIME
TO QUIT THE DRUG TRADE.
USING AN ALIAS,
HE STARTS LOOKING FOR
MORE LEGITIMATE WORK.
THAT WAS PART OF HIS SURVIVAL
IS PRESENTING
A WHOLE NOTHER IDENTIFICATION
AND PROJECTING
A WHOLE NOTHER IMAGE.
BROWN MOVES INTO
A D.C. NEIGHBORHOOD
AND GETS STEADY WORK DOING
CONSTRUCTION AND REMODELING.
Brown: I'D MET A GUY
WHO HAD APARTMENT BUILDINGS,
AND HE OFFERED ME WORK, AND
OF COURSE I USED AN ALIAS NAME.
Narrator:
BROWN STAYS OUT OF TROUBLE,
BUT HIS PAST
IS ABOUT TO CATCH UP WITH HIM.
JULY 21, 1999.
THE WASHINGTON, D.C., FBI OFFICE
GETS A TIP THAT AN INTERSTATE
FUGITIVE NAMED MARSHALL BROWN
IS STAYING AT AN ADDRESS
ON THE NORTHWEST SIDE OF TOWN.
FIRST OF ALL, YOU HAD TO LOOK
AND SEE WHO YOU'RE GOING AFTER.
IN THIS CASE, THIS WAS
AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS FUGITIVE.
HE DIDN'T INTEND
TO GO BACK TO PRISON.
HE WAS GOING
TO FIGHT TILL THE END.
Narrator:
JACK OLLER IS A SPECIAL AGENT
WITH THE WASHINGTON, D.C.,
FIELD OFFICE BACK IN 1999
WHEN HE'S ASSIGNED
THE BROWN CASE.
WE HAD INFORMATION AT THAT TIME
THAT HE MAY BE WORKING A JOB,
AND HE MAY BE COMING AND GOING
DURING THE DAY FROM THAT JOB.
Narrator: THE TEAM STAKES OUT
THE NORTHWEST D.C. ADDRESS
WHERE THEY BELIEVE
BROWN IS STAYING.
UNIT THREE STANDING BY.
THEIR PLAN -- TO GRAB BROWN
AS HE LEAVES FOR WORK.
THE ELEMENT OF SURPRISE
IS CRUCIAL.
Oller:
WITH MARSHALL BROWN,
WE WERE PREPARED
FOR A POSSIBILITY OF A SHOOTOUT.
Narrator:
AT ABOUT 7:00 A.M.,
THE COPS WATCH AS AN
UNIDENTIFIED MAN PARKS HIS CAR
AND WALKS TOWARD BROWN'S HOUSE.
STAND BY.
HE WALKED UP TO THE FRONT PORCH
OF THE RESIDENCE,
AND BROWN CAME OUT...
AND WE ALL RECOGNIZED BROWN.
I MEAN,
IT WAS JUST LIKE HIS PHOTO.
Narrator:
THE COPS STAND BY FOR A SIGNAL
TO MOVE IN ON THE FUGITIVE.
THAT'S HIM.
LET'S GO.
10-4.
Narrator: BUT MARSHALL BROWN
WON'T GO EASY.
ALL HELL
IS ABOUT TO BREAK LOOSE.
FREEZE!
FREEZE, FREEZE,
FREEZE, FREEZE, DROP!
HANDS ON YOUR HEAD!
HANDS ON YOUR HEAD!
Narrator: THEY WASHINGTON, D.C.,
FBI FIELD OFFICE
HAS WORD THAT MARSHALL BROWN
IS LIVING IN THE AREA.
THAT'S HIM.
LET'S GO.
A 15-PERSON TASK FORCE
STAKES OUT THE ADDRESS.
Oller:
WE JUST CONVERGED ON HIM.
FREEZE!
FREEZE, FREEZE,
FREEZE, FREEZE, DROP!
HANDS ON YOUR HEAD!
HANDS ON YOUR HEAD!
HE WAS TOTALLY SHOCKED,
STUNNED,
NEVER MOVED,
NEVER MOVED A MUSCLE.
UH...HE WAS NOT ARMED.
Narrator:
AFTER THREE YEARS, THREE MONTHS,
AND NINE DAYS ON THE RUN,
MARSHALL BROWN
IS FINALLY IN HANDCUFFS.
Brown:
I KNEW THEN I WAS CAUGHT,
THAT THERE WAS NO WAY
TO GET AWAY.
IT FELT LIKE
A PIECE OF CRAP, MAN.
IT FELT LIKE, UH...TEARS.
FOR REAL.
KEEP IT REAL -- TEARS.
Narrator:
BROWN MAY BE CAUGHT,
BUT HE'S NOT FINISHED
FIGHTING THE POLICE.
HE'S ABOUT TO MAKE
HIS MOST DESPERATE ATTEMPT YET
TO AVOID GOING BACK TO PRISON.
KILL ME!
HE REPEATEDLY, PROBABLY
SIX OR EIGHT TIMES SAID,
"YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO
KILL ME TODAY
'CAUSE I'M NOT
GOING BACK TO PRISON."
KILL ME!
KILL ME!
SHUT UP!
WE ALL LOOKED AT EACH OTHER LIKE
WE HAD NEVER SEEN THIS BEFORE.
I MEAN,
THIS GUY IS DEAD SERIOUS.
STAY DOWN!
KILL ME!
I DID NOT WANT TO GO
BACK TO PRISON ALIVE.
I'D RATHER BE DEAD
IN A MILLION BURNING HELLS
IF THERE'S SUCH A THING.
Narrator: BROWN DECIDES
THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY OUT --
SUICIDE BY COP.
HE FIGURES
IF HE ATTEMPTS AN ESCAPE,
THEY'LL BE FORCED TO SHOOT HIM.
Brown:
I LOOKED UP IN THE SKY...
AND TOOK A DEEP BREATH
AND PREPARED MYSELF
FOR WHAT I THOUGHT WAS DEATH
WITH THE HOPES
THAT OUT OF ALL THEM GUNS,
SOMEBODY WOULD JUMP THE GUN.
OH!
FREEZE!
Narrator: THE COPS GIVE CHASE,
BUT HOLD THEIR FIRE.
AS BROWN NEARS
A BUSY INTERSECTION,
SPECIAL AGENT OLLER
TACKLES THE FUGITIVE
AND PULLS HIM TO THE GROUND.
WE BOTH SLID
ALONG THE CONCRETE PAVEMENT
FOR ABOUT 10 OR 12 FEET,
AND WE SCRAPED OUR --
PROBABLY AT LEAST
THE TOP LAYER OF SKIN
OFF OUR ARMS AND OUR SHOULDERS.
WE BOTH CAME UP A BLOODY MESS.
HE WAS STILL KICKING.
HE WAS STILL TRYING
TO FIGHT WITH HIS HANDCUFFS ON.
[ SIREN WAILS ]
[ POLICE RADIO CHATTER ]
Narrator: MARSHALL BROWN
IS FINALLY CAUGHT.
NOW HE MUST FACE UP TO
HIS OWN WORST NIGHTMARE.
Brown:
I WOULDN'T ACCEPT DEATH.
I JUST DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE TO
ACCEPT COMING BACK HERE,
YOU KNOW, AND THAT WAS --
THAT WAS...
[SIGHS]
...TEARS.
YEAH.
Narrator:
BACK IN NORTH CAROLINA,
THE NEWS OF BROWN'S CAPTURE
IS ALMOST TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE.
Anderson:
AT FIRST, I DIDN'T BELIEVE IT.
I WANTED TO VERIFY THAT.
I WANTED TO SEE A PICTURE OF HIM
IN HANDCUFFS.
WE WENT THROUGH
A LOT OF MANPOWER,
A LOT OF RESOURCES,
A LOT OF OVERTIME,
A LOT OF HELP FROM A LOT
OF DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS,
BUT, ULTIMATELY, IT PAID OFF.
Nance: WHEN AN INVESTIGATION
GOES ON THIS DURATION,
THIS PERIOD OF TIME,
THREE YEARS,
YOU LIVE, EAT, AND SLEEP
THE CASE.
THERE'S NO OTHER WAY AROUND IT.
WHEN I GOT THE INFORMATION
THAT MARSHALL BROWN HAD BEEN
CAPTURED IN WASHINGTON, D.C.,
I FELT MY BODY RELAX,
AND IT WAS LIKE,
"FINALLY, CLOSURE.
PUT IT TO REST.
HE'S WHERE HE NEEDS TO BE."
Narrator:
MARSHALL BROWN IS BROUGHT
BEFORE A NORTH CAROLINA JUDGE
TO STAND TRIAL FOR
THE MURDER OF STEVEN CALHOUN.
NO, NO.
PUT THE GUN DOWN.
[ GUNSHOT ]
HE AGREES TO PLEAD NO CONTEST TO
A CHARGE OF SECOND-DEGREE MURDER
WITH THE ADDITION
OF AN AGGRAVATING FACTOR
FOR THE BEATING OF DAVID BROWN.
THE JUDGE ORDERS
A MINIMUM SENTENCE OF 20 YEARS.
EVEN WITH GOOD BEHAVIOR,
MARSHALL BROWN WON'T BE
ELIGIBLE FOR PAROLE UNTIL 2022.
HE'LL BE 63 YEARS OLD.
Anderson:
I THINK OUR COMMUNITIES
ARE SAFER AND BETTER OFF.
I THINK IF
HE WAS ON THE OUTSIDE AGAIN,
THAT HE WOULDN'T HESITATE
TO TAKE A LIFE.
I DON'T THINK MARSHALL BROWN
HAS CHANGED AS A PERSON.
Nance: IF MARSHALL BROWN
IS HELD IN A PRISON,
IF HE STAYS IN THE SYSTEM
UNTIL 2025,
MARSHALL BROWN,
IF HE'S RELEASED AT THAT TIME,
CONSIDERING HIS AGE,
HE MAY NO LONGER AT THAT TIME
BE A DANGER TO SOCIETY.
Brown: IF I HAD MY LIFE
TO DO OVER AGAIN,
I WOULD DO
EVERYTHING DIFFERENT --
EVERYTHING.
Narrator: TODAY, MARSHALL BROWN
IS INMATE 00-50-673
AT THE PAMLICO CORRECTIONAL
INSTITUTION
IN BAYBORO, NORTH CAROLINA.
OVER THE YEARS,
BROWN'S COME TO UNDERSTAND
WHY HE HAS TO BE HERE.
BUT EVEN SO, HE SAYS HE'LL NEVER
STOP WANTING TO GET OUT.
I DON'T THINK NOBODY SHOULD
BE ALLOWED TO PREY ON SOCIETY,
BUT I DON'T THINK NOBODY
WANT TO BE IN PRISON, YOU KNOW?
I DON'T THINK NOBODY
WANT TO BE IN PRISON.
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