15 year old boy slaughters his family
http://www.wbaltv.com/news/15205396/detail.html
Bail Denied For Teenager In Family Slaying
COCKEYSVILLE, Md. -- A teenager accused of killing his parents and two younger brothers has been denied bail by a Baltimore County judge. Meanwhile, counselors were on hand Monday at two area schools to help students deal with what happened.
Nicholas Waggoner Browning appeared in court Monday through a video link. He was wearing an orange jumpsuit and sat in a plastic chair with his hands folded in front of him. He was asked if he had been made aware of the charges and answered yes. Officials said he was composed and polite during the hearing.
Browning has been charged as an adult in the slayings of his father, John Browning, 45; his mother, Tamara, 44; and his brothers Gregory, 14, and Benjamin, 11, according to Baltimore County police.
Defense attorney Steve Silverman asked for $1 million bail, noting that Browning did not have a criminal record, is an honor student and a student athlete and is one interview away from being an Eagle Scout. The prosecutor asked that Browning continue to be held without bail, and the judge agreed.
The victims were found dead Saturday evening inside a home in Cockeysville, north of Baltimore. A small, silver-colored crucifix was hanging from the Brownings' mailbox Sunday, and a vigil was held at the scene Sunday night.
Police spokesman Bill Toohey said Browning was formally arrested at 1:05 a.m. Sunday.
"Early Sunday morning, he did indeed admit that he killed them," Toohey said.
Toohey said Nicholas Browning, a student at Dulaney High School, had a disagreement with his father and used his father's handgun to kill his family Friday night while they slept.
After the slayings, police said, he threw the gun away in bushes near his house.
Toohey told WBAL TV 11 News that the youth spent Friday night and all day Saturday with friends. When the friends took him back to his house at 5 p.m. Saturday, Browning went into the house and came back out to say that his father was dead.
"He was taken into the precinct almost immediately after he reported it, which is standard operating procedure," Toohey said of Nicholas Browning.
Police said the teenager eventually confessed and led them to the gun, but Silverman is questioning how that confession was obtained.
"I'm just concerned. You have a 15-year-old boy -- a traumatized 15-year-old boy, in light of these circumstances -- who gave a confession in the wee hours of the morning in a police station after denying these charges for several hours without and adult or attorney," Silverman said.
In court, investigators said there's no indication the teenager abused drugs or alcohol, and there's no evidence he'd ever been in trouble before.
The neighborhood was quiet Sunday morning; no police officers remained at the scene and there was no sign of investigation or any other activity. The grounds of the two-story home were neat and there was a basketball backboard outside.
John Browning had been an attorney for 19 years with Royston, Mueller, McLean & Reid, and was a partner in the law firm in the county seat of Towson, about six miles from the family's home.
Nicholas Browning is being held at the Baltimore County Detention Center in a special section for juveniles.
Counselors were available Monday to meet with students at Dulaney High, said Charles Herndon, a county school spokesman.
Neighbors, Friends Cope With The Loss
"I've watching them grow up over the last seven years, so there's a warm spot in my heart for the family," said Rev. Bill Brown, the family's pastor at Epworth United Methodist Church.
Brown said he counseled the teen in jail on Sunday. He said that there has never been any indication from the boy that he would ever act that way.
"He was, as everybody has said, a normal boy," Brown said. "They were a wonderful family. Very well liked, well loved."
Neighbors who talked to 11 News reporter Melissa Carlson said the family had lived in the home for more than 12 years and described them as quiet, friendly and active members in the community.
Residents called each other throughout the night to talk about the shootings, said resident Mike Thomas. He said one of his sons had been in Boy Scouts with one of the Brownings' sons and that Browning remained involved in scouting.
"These people would do anything in the world for you -- just incredible people," Thomas said. For instance, Thomas said the Brownings would pick up debris along the street.
A woman who lives across the street from the Cockeysville teenager's home said Monday that the boy is "a very polite, well-mannered, average teenage boy."
Jennifer Welsh said that her son is the same age as Nicholas, and that the two boys played lacrosse together and have been friends for seven years.
Welsh said her heart goes out to the family and to Nick. She added that she and her son are wondering why the shootings happened. She said she did not know the nature of the dispute between Browning and his father that police said allegedly led to the shootings.