December trial set for man charged in fatal St. Clair Twp. shooting

A trial date has been set for a Hamilton man charged with murder and other felonies in the fatal shooting of Maurice Chatman in May.

Eric Brown, 19, of the 900 block of South Second Street, is charged with murder, having weapons under disability and tampering with evidence for allegedly fatally shooting Chatman on May 29 in St. Clair Twp.

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Brown was in Butler County Common Pleas Court on Wednesday, when Judge Greg Howard set a trial date of Dec. 11. Brown remains housed in the county jail in lieu of $1 million bond.

Brown told Butler County Sheriff’s detectives the May 29 shooting was in self-defense.

Brown was questioned by Butler County Sheriff’s detectives shortly after Chatman was found dead outside a car near the intersection of Eaton and Warwick roads about 6:40 p.m., according to court documents.

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Brown said he was a back seat passenger in a car driven by Chatman when Chatman stopped the vehicle “and demanded money from him and threatened to shoot him,” according to court documents obtained by the Journal-News.

“Mr. Brown stated he pulled a gun from his pants and shot Mr. Chatman several times,” Detective Ryan Hensley wrote in the court documents.

Detectives said Brown then disposed of the gun in a creek.

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