Larry Brown found guilty on all charges, sentenced to 20 years to life (UPDATED)

ELYRIA — As the niece of his victim gave a statement in court about her uncle's death Thursday, Larry Brown spoke out for the first time on the allegations that got him convicted of murder. "I didn't do it," he said, a statement he repeated multiple times after being convicted of murder and other charges and being sentenced to prison. Brown, 42, of Louisville, Kentucky, was ordered to spend at least 20 years behind bars for the 2016 murder of Lani "Smitty" Smith, 66, of Lorain. The men were related by marriage, and were like nephew and uncle, family members said. Brown will be eligible for parole after serving 20 years, and by law will be given credit for the nearly three-and-a-half years he has spent in the Lorain County Jail since his arrest on July 17, 2016. Brown's trial in Lorain County Common Pleas Court lasted seven days, and a jury of eight women and four men deliberated for about four hours Wednesday and Thursday before reaching a verdict of guilty on all charges: Two counts of murder, two counts of felonious assault, one count of tampering with evidence and five firearms specifications, one for each charge. Lorain police and prosecutors said Brown shot Smith once in the chest on July 14, 2016, after the two got into some "horseplay" that somehow turned deadly. No eyewitnesses to the shooting inside 1103 W. Ninth St. testified, though Smith's brother said he was present and saw some of the aftermath. The verdict was returned shortly before 10 a.m., and following a break, Brown was sentenced at 1:30 p.m. by Judge Chris Cook. Brown's legal name is Seydi Umar Cisse, but he was arrested, charged and tried under the name Larry Brown. "Actually, I am Seydi Umar Cisse, your honor," he told Cook when asked to confirm he was Larry Brown. The verdict ended an emotional week for two families who said they don't hate each other despite losing members: One to death and the other to prison. Patricia Smith, Smith's niece, told the court her uncle's death "hurt my family," his seven siblings and probably caused the rapid decline in health of his mother, who died in October 2017. "I never thought this would happen to my family," she said. "This is something you see on television ... I never thought it would be Larry, I never thought he would do something like this to us ... to the family that considered him family." "Larry, I hope you think about what you did," Patricia Smith told Brown. "I didn't do it, Patty," Brown said from his seat in the courtroom. "I love you, Patty, I didn't do it." Lani Smith's sister, Wendy Walker, said her brother's death was "hard to swallow" and told Brown she wished the world "takes you carefully and slowly" and said she would "hold you in my heart." "I love you, Larry," she said. "I didn't do it!" Brown replied. Walker called the whole situation "a tragic shame" and thanked those in court for supporting her family as well as Brown. She urged anyone who thinks about committing violence to "stop and think before reacting, because this is what can become a very bad outcome." Defense attorney Kenneth Lieux said he advised Brown against making any statements in court because of his right to appeal. Given a chance to speak, Brown told his family and Smith's family that he loves them and hoped the trial doesn't break up the family. "But again, I didn't do this," he said. Cook said thanked the families for the "inspirational words." "The longer I do this, the more I'm amazed when I hear statements like Miss Walker and Miss Smith, who show love, and forgiveness perhaps, to the family and even to Mr. Brown. I don't know if I could do it," Cook said. "Your honor, we're one family, too, I want to say that," Brown said from where he sat. "Thank you," Cook said, before continuing: "What I've seen here today shows humanity, shows God being present on some level. I'm amazed at seeing forgiveness and love and what you said, ma'am, is inspirational and I can't add anything to this tragedy other than I'm impressed and amazed at how these families have handled a terrible situation like the loss of Smitty." Smith's brother, Scott Fowler, testified he was home at the time of his brother's killing and heard a single shot but didn't see Smith's body. "Crazed" and "enraged," Brown walked out of a hallway, pointed a gun at Fowler and took him on a two-hour trip around Lorain and Amherst, Fowler testified. Fowler eventually was able to escape Brown, alert bank employees and Amherst police and was interviewed by Lorain police. Brown fled the city and state and was arrested in Maryland three days later. He has been in jail ever since. Royetta Corlew, Brown's aunt, embraced Smith's sister in the hallway following the verdict. She said the two families were close, spending time at family reunions, and she said they remain close. "I hope and pray that things work out and he (Brown) don't get sent away for a long time," she said after the verdict but before sentencing. "It's kind of unfair. We hurtin', we're gonna hurt. Because we cry for both families, just not only my nephew but for Smitty, too, because we were always close." Brown has the option to appeal within 30 days, and Cook said he would appoint an attorney to handle the matter. In addition, Cook ordered Brown to pay restitution of $2,576.35 for the cost of Smith's funeral, along with court costs. Larry Brown's father, Lawrence Brown, said he believes his son is innocent and has a lot of questions about what happened on July 14, 2016. "There are a lot of unknowns about the murder. Now my son has to bank on an appeal hearing," he said Thursday. Multiple family members have said throughout trial they think there is more to the story, and only Smith, Fowler and Brown know the truth. "Something happened and don't nobody know but the Dear Lord and them three, y'know, so we just go from there," Corlew said. "Maybe something will change, I don't know, but we're gonna pray for him. We're very spiritual and we're gonna keep him in prayer." Photographer Bruce Bishop contributed to this story. Contact Dave O'Brien at (440) 329-7129 or dobrien@chroniclet.com. Follow him at @daveobrienCT on Twitter.