Tiffany Brown used to work at Faith House, helping victims of domestic violence.
She knew all the warning signs, she knew what to look for and what abuse looks like. But when it was her husband, and the father of their children, it was a different story.
"When it's happening to you, you don't necessarily see it," she tells KATC; she is allowing us to use her name.
In December 2020, her ex-husband, Jamar Brown, allegedly poured gas around her home while she and their children were in it. A month later, he allegedly pulled a loaded gun on her with their small children present, and threatened to kill her. A Lafayette Parish Sheriff's deputy wrote in his report that Jamar Brown admitted to threatening her.
The Lafayette Parish District Attorney's Office filed a bill of information formally charging him with attempted aggravated arson and aggravated assault with a dangerous weapon, records show.
Six months later, he allegedly pulled a gun on her and her children again. This time, the Lafayette Parish District Attorney's Office formally charged him with four counts domestic abuse aggravated assault with child endangerment, and possession of a firearm with obliterated serial number, records show.
But tomorrow, she says, Jamar Brown is scheduled to accept a plea deal that will reduce the charges against him to domestic violence simple battery, simple criminal damage to property and illegal possession of a weapon. For that plea, he'll get probation, she says she was told.
Court records show a plea hearing is set for tomorrow morning in his case.
Brown says she called the DA's office this week to find out the status of the case, and that's when she found out about this plea deal. She said she thought she would be told about any plea negotiations, but she didn't have any calls or meetings with prosecutors about the deal.
Court records show the judge in his case, Judge Royal Colbert, refused to increase Jamar Brown's bond earlier this year.
In January 2023, prosecutors filed a motion to revoke his bond or increase his bond amount when he allegedly violated conditions of that bond.
"It is apparent that the defendant, Jamar Brown, is a danger to the victims and society and has shown no respect and/or regard to the Court's orders," prosecutors wrote.
Those conditions required that he obtain an ankle monitor from Southern Coast Solutions, sign up with a family violence intervention program and see a mental health counselor.
Court records show Colbert refused to revise the bond amount, but instead ordered that he be on house arrest (again using Southern Coast Solutions), except to go to work, church, school or see his attorney.
"...the bond amount previously set in the above captioned matter shall not be amended," Colbert ordered.
Colbert ordered that Jamar Brown have no contact with her "under any circumstances" and that the stay-away order issued in December 2022 stay in place.
She has moved to another parish, where she has obtained another protective order with the court there. Records show St. Martin Parish Sheriff's deputies have arrested him for violating that protective order multiple times this year; he's been booked there with violation of protective orders, simple assault and telephone harassment.
"He does as he pleases," Tiffany Brown says.
We reached out to the prosecutor on the case but haven't heard back. We also reached out to District Attorney Don Landry, but we haven't heard back from him either.
We also contacted Jamar Brown's attorney, Alfred Boustany III, and have not yet had a response.
