Matthew Brown was asked to come to the Johnson home to work out differences. Matthew Brown came over carrying a loaded gun."

" Why are we here?". DDA Kelly Neel started her remarks to the jury in the Matthew Brown case with that question. "Because on July 18, 2014, Matthew Brown went to the house of Scott Johnson. He had worked for him for a few months.  He was asked to leave because of some disputes between him and others."  Matthew Brown and Neil Decker didn't like each other.

Ms. Neel continued that the jury would "most likely hear testimony" that Neil Decker said mean things and picked on Matthew Brown. They would hear testimony that Neil Decker was shot and killed in Scott Johnson's house. "He was unarmed and defenseless."

"Matthew Brown was asked to come to the Johnson home to work out differences.  Matthew Brown came over carrying a loaded gun."

Regarding Decker being defenseless, Ms. Neel said that the jury would hear testimony that this was a false statement. She the prosecution would provide testimony that everyone with knowledge of the incident would say that Decker was unarmed. "There was no yelling or screaming."

"Neal Decker was 49. He was a son, a brother, a partner and Matthew Brown took his life for no reason."

"You will hear from people present about being in shock, they called 911, Neil Decker was still breathing, they drove Neil Decker to an area where a helicopter could land."

"You will hear testimony that Matthew Brown fled; he didn't stick around; didn't call law enforcement to say why he did it. He fled and he was captured later in the wilderness."

"When captured, he lied. He didn't say, 'I was terrified of Neil Decker. I had to shoot."

"Many people involved in this were growing marijuana. Matthew Brown came up from Southern California with Scott Johnson, who he referred to as dad. Then she referred to another witness, Laura Hall, who Brown considered a mom, who he contacted after the shooting. Ms. Neel reiterated that Brown did not tell this witness he was scared.

While acknowleding that no one can say why the murder occurred, Ms. Neel implied that "Neil Decker's close relationship with Scott Johnson was an issue for Matthew Brown."