Cousin testifies Cleaves shot Brown as revenge, not robbery

The primary motive behind Willie Brown’s homicide in September was not robbery but revenge, according to witness testimony Wednesday in Cape Girardeau County court.

Judge Gary Kamp found sufficient probable cause to continue the case against Mortez Zanell Cleaves, 16, of Cape Girardeau.

The Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged Cleaves with second-degree murder and armed criminal action. He remains in Cape Girardeau County Jail, and his bond is set at $500,000 cash.

Cleaves’ cousin, Tyyeema S. Cleaves, 23, of Cape Girardeau testified she and her cousin plotted to rob Brown, 31, of Cape Girardeau on the porch of a house in the 500 block of Benton Street.

Tyyeema Cleaves called Brown on Sept. 7 to set up a deal to buy four Xanax pills for $10, she said. Mortez Cleaves said he then would “rough” up Brown after Tyyeema Cleaves had left the area.

Mortez Cleaves held a grudge against Brown because he believed Brown shot him with a .22-caliber handgun earlier that summer, Tyyeema Cleaves testified.

Mortez Cleaves believed Brown was the shooter at that time because he had sold Brown a .22-caliber handgun, Tyyeema Cleaves testified.

“I was supposed to do this for my cousin,” Tyyeema Cleaves said. “We wanted to rob him and rough him up.”

About 9 p.m., Brown sold Tyyeema Cleaves the pills near Benton and Hanover streets, Tyyeema Cleaves said.

Brown offered to walk her home, but she declined, Tyyeema Cleaves said.

As she walked back on Benton Street, she said she heard five shots.

She said she arrived at her house about 15 minutes before her cousin, who also lived there.

When Mortez Cleaves arrived, he said he had shot Brown, and it was unlikely Brown would live after being shot so many times.

Mortez Cleaves told her Brown said he was going to get Mortez Cleaves after the first shot, prompting Mortez Cleaves to fire his weapon several more times.

“He would have shot him nine or 10 times, but his gun jammed,” Tyyeema Cleaves said.

Tyyeema Cleaves helped Mortez Cleaves hide the gun in a hole in the wood paneling in her attic room, she said.

Mortez Cleaves’ mother took him to Louisville, Kentucky, after the shooting, where he was supposed to be living that summer, Tyyeema Cleaves said.

His mother took the gun from the house and threw it in the river, Tyyeema Cleaves said.

Though Mortez Cleaves’ lawyer, Scott Reynolds, asked what happened to the gun, he objected to Tyyeema Cleaves’ statement as hearsay. He later had Tyyeema Cleaves clarify she did not see anyone throw the gun into the river.

“You’re the one that asked the question,” Kamp said when Reynolds objected.

Tyyeema Cleaves faces charges of second-degree murder, first-degree attempted robbery and armed criminal action related to Brown’s homicide case.

She testified in exchange for dropping the charges of murder and armed criminal action, Cape Girardeau assistant prosecuting attorney Angel Woodruff said.

“I don’t expect to get anything,” Tyyeema Cleaves said when Reynolds asked her about getting a good deal. “I feel whatever happens is all in God’s hands.”

Forensic pathologist Russell Deidiker testified Brown was shot five times. The first four entrance wounds were to Brown’s right hip and buttock, he said. Brown also had a wound in his right forearm where a bullet lodged, Deidiker said.

Cape Girardeau police officer Brett Hellmann testified five shell casings recovered at the shooting scene were from a 9 mm handgun.

Tyyeema Cleaves testified the handgun could be a 9 mm.

Her phone also was collected as evidence, Hellmann said. Tyyeema Cleaves said she called Brown about 4 p.m. to set up the drug buy.

Emily Bagby, Mortez Cleaves’ girlfriend, overheard the plan to rob Brown when the two cousins discussed the plan, Tyyeema Cleaves said.

Bagby exercised her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination and was excused from the witness stand by Woodruff. Bagby is not facing criminal charges related to the cases against Mortez or Tyyeema Cleaves.

bkleine@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3644

Pertinent address:

500 block of Benton Street, Cape Girardeau, Mo.