Cameron Brown will stand trial for third time for death of daughter Lauren Keys

Below: Cameron Brown, Right: Lauren Keys
By Denise Nix Staff Writer

The Daily Breeze
dailybreeze.com

Posted: 01/28/2010

Denise Nix: your coverage of this case has been exemplary. Thank you for not letting this little girl be forgotten. Janet

A judge on Thursday, January 28, refused to dismiss charges against Cameron Brown, who already has stood trial twice for the Rancho Palos Verdes cliff death of his 4-year-old daughter, Lauren Keys.

"I believe there should be a third trial in this case, and there will be," Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor said following a heated hearing.

Pastor also refused to set bail for Brown, 49, who has remained in jail for more than six years.
Brown's attorney, Pat Harris, argued in written motions and during the hearing that the entire case should be dismissed or, in the alternative, the first-degree murder charge dropped.

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Read the argument

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...Hum also argued that dismissing the case out of fairness to Brown was the "antithesis" of what is fair.

"The defendant shouldn't have murdered his 4-year-old daughter and then he wouldn't be in this position," Hum said in response to Harris' argument that Brown will have to spend "years" in jail awaiting another trial.

Hum called it "offensive" for the defense to argue that another trial would be a waste of court resources.

"If we're not gonna use our money on cases like this, what are we going to use our resources on?" Hum replied. EXCELLENT!

...Lauren died during a court-ordered visit with her father when they went on a "walk" from Abalone Cove to Inspiration Point.

Brown said she slipped while throwing rocks over the 120-foot drop, but gave inconsistent statements and, prosecutors believe, acted suspiciously in the hours, days and weeks following Lauren's death.

Hum maintains that Brown, an airline baggage handler, threw or pushed the little girl because he was quarreling with [hated] Key-Marer and felt burdened by [was totally pissed off about]child support payments.

Harris indicated to Pastor that the ruling will be appealed. An appeal will likely include a stay of the case until a decision is made.

Harris, an attorney with Geragos & Geragos, also said he did not believe his firm, which has gone through a drastic downsizing recently, would remain on the case.

Firm principal and high-profile attorney Mark Geragos represented Brown during the first trial, and Harris agreed to do the second on appointment from the court.

Brown likely will be given a public defender, who Harris predicted will take a year or two to become familiar enough with the evidence to handle the trial.