‘They got the wrong kid’: Charges dropped against teen in killing of KC chef Shaun Brady
In a surprise twist in the killing of Brookside chef Shaun Brady, the Jackson County Family Court has dropped all charges against one of two teens arrested in August in the shooting death of the popular Irish restaurant owner.
The teen, who spent three months in juvenile custody, was released without public notice.
On Tuesday, the release of L.M., whose full name is not spelled out in public court documents because he was charged in juvenile court, was confirmed by his defense attorney, Matthew Merryman.
“What I’m saying is they got the wrong kid,” Merryman said in a prepared statement.
A spokesman for the Kansas City Family Court, Scott Lauck, confirmed to The Star that the charges against L.M had been dropped.
L.M. had been charged with second-degree murder, attempted theft of a motor vehicle and armed criminal action.
“You know this case generated a ton of local and international attention and when the public outrage is so high,” Merryman said, “there is a rush to find someone and hold them accountable. Here there was a rush to judgment and L.M. was just the first Black kid they found to pin that judgment on.”
A second teen, a 15-year-old identified as K.H. is similarly charged. A December hearing is set to determine whether he will be tried as an adult.
Investigation still open
Brady’s death came as a shock to his Brookside neighbors and the larger Kansas City community. The shooting came amid a rash of thefts and break-ins in the area.
Age 44, Brady, who was married with two young children, was the co-owner of the Brady & Fox Restaurant and Lounge, 751 E. 63rd St.
A prominent member of Kansas City’s Irish heritage community, Brady was killed on August 28, two days before he was to be part of the Kansas City Irish Fest, which he took part in annually. Around 5 p.m. that evening, he reportedly went outside to the rear of his restaurant and found a group of teenagers attempting to steal his car. An argument broke out. Brady was shot.
The altercation was caught on security cameras. L.M. and K.H. were arrested two days later by Kansas City police.
It is up to Jackson County Family Court and not the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office to either file charge or drop charges against juveniles. Police on Tuesday referred questions regarding what evidence they had to secure L.M.’s arrest and why the charges were dropped to the Family Court.
The court would only confirm that the charges against L.M had been dropped.
A Kansas City Police Department spokesman, Sgt. Phillip DiMartino, on Tuesday said that the Brady’s shooting remains an open investigation.
“This is just a kid growing up in midtown Kansas City who is trying to graduate from high school and loves to play baseball,” Merryman said of L.M.
Merryman then referenced two individuals who each spent 23 years behind bars for crimes they did not commit.
“If it wasn’t for our law firm,” he said, “this kid was a heartbeat away from becoming the next Ricky Kidd or Lamonte McIntyre.”
‘Ripped away from his family’
Merryman said that since Brady’s death, L.M. and his family have been on an excruciating journey trying to clear the teen’s name.
“It’s been a very trying three months that he’s been in custody accused of a very heinous crime,” he said.
Three months in custody has interfered with the teen’s athletic aspirations, employment and education.
“He was ripped away from his family, his intramural sports, his school, job opportunities,” Merryman said.
Merryman declined to share whether L.M.’s family plans to pursue litigation against police or prosecutors related to a wrongful arrest
“We’re all just trying to piece together what the future looks like for our client,” Merryman said, “but we’re also very grateful that he’s home now.
This story was originally published December 10, 2024 at 11:43 AM.
