Capital murder trials set for Patrick Stallworth, Derick Brown in killing of Kamille âCupcakeâ McKinney
Capital murder trial dates have been set for Patrick Stallworth and Derick Irisha Brown who, earlier this year, were sentenced to life in federal prison without the possibility of parole in the 2019 deadly abduction 3-year-old Kamille “Cupcake” McKinney.
Both were found guilty in federal court of kidnapping that resulted in death and conspiracy to kidnap a minor victim.
Now they face a possible death sentence if they are convicted in state court.
Stallworth’s trial is set for March 11, 2024. Brown’s trial is set for April 8, 2021.
Earlier this week, Jefferson County Circuit Judge Alaric May ordered Brown transferred to a mental facility for evaluation.
Brown is represented by Adam Danneman and Blair Shores of the Jefferson County Public Defender’s Office. Stallworth is represented by attorneys Derrick Collins and Rolando Rankin.
Assistant District Attorneys Neal Zarzour and Misty Reynolds are prosecuting.
Prosecutors contended that Stallworth and Brown planned all day to kidnap a child and did so on Oct. 12, 2019, at Birmingham’s Tom Brown Village public housing community.
The motive, they have previously said, could have been for Stallworth’s sexual gratification or because Brown had lost custody of her six children and wanted another child.
Stallworth and Brown were in a relationship at the time of the abduction.
Testimony and evidence in both trials showed the couple’s movements all day that Saturday, which included a stop at a Shell service station near Tom Brown Village where Stallworth was seen on video buying $18.91 in candy.
Then, a short time later, a 12-year-old girl said Stallworth stopped her as she was leaving cheerleading practice at Hayes K-8 and asked her if she wanted some candy. She ran away.
Later, Stallworth and Brown were seen sitting in their Toyota Sequoia on a street and, when confronted by a resident, Brown asked where were all the children that used to play on the circle. That woman testified that Brown seemed overly interested in children.
Video from Tom Brown Village that night showed Stallworth talking to two little girls – Cupcake and her best friend/cousin Ava, also 3, before they walked off screen with him.
Ava, according to testimony, would later say when asked where Cupcake went, “Cupcake got in the car with that man. He took her to get candy at the store. I not want no candy.”
Since their 2019 arrests, Stallworth and Brown have blamed each other for the abduction and death of Cupcake.
Stallworth claimed Brown had taken the girl, saying she wanted to keep her, and he also said the Brown wanted him to sexually touch the girl. He told detectives that Brown “put Cupcake to sleep” by putting her hands over her nose and mouth.
Medical experts have previously testified that Cupcake died by asphyxia. She had methamphetamine, Trazodone and Benadryl in her system.
Dr. Daniel Dye, of the Jefferson County Coroner/Medical Examiner’s Office said the meth and Trazodone contributed to the baby’s death.