Sentencing halted for Indio stepmom convicted of murder

A woman facing sentencing for the murder of her toddler stepson may get a new trial in the case.

KESQ News Channel 3 and CBS Local 2’s Jeremy Chen was there as an appeals court judge put a last-minute delay on the sentencing for Patricia Brown.

Brown was found guilty in January of 2016 of second-degree murder in the death of her 2-year-old stepson. Her husband was acquitted, while testimony continued for Patricia.

She’s now asking for the case to be reheard.

Family and friends who support Brown were there for a sentencing hearing that was scheduled for Friday morning at the Larson Justice Center in Indio.

Patricia Brown was found guilty in the Jan. 16 2003, for the death of her husband’s son, Deetrick. Deetrick’s father, Derrick Brown, was once a suspect in the case, but has since been cleared. We spoke to Patricia’s husband last year after she was found guilty. He called the guilty verdict a ‘terrible injustice’.

Dozens of people gathered to protest the conviction as well. Brown collapsed after hearing the guilty verdict read to her in court.

On Friday morning, an appellate court ordered a stay in the proceedings. The defense was given a 60 day reprieve in sentencing.

Prosecutors did not comment on the case Friday.