A man accused of fatally shooting his girlfriend while her young children were present in her St. Paul home this past summer has been found incompetent to stand trial due to mental illness.
A doctor asked to evaluate Shakee Shabazz Miller-Brantley after the shooting told a Ramsey County court that the 28-year-old suffers from “a lifelong history of severe mental illness,” including schizoaffective disorder and antisocial personality disorder. Miller-Brantley was hearing voices when he shot and killed Jessica Williams, according to a petition filed in Ramsey County District Court.
Police who went to Williams’ home after the 27-year-old mother failed to pick up one of her children from daycare on July 19 and found her lying motionless in a basement stairs.
Miller-Brantley later admitted to gunning her down in the hallway as the two argued in the Frogtown home, according to authorities. He then carried her body downstairs and covered her face so that neither he — nor two of her children home at the time — would have to look at her, according to the second-degree murder charges.
Williams had been “running her mouth” that day and “put him out” for no reason, Miller-Brantley reportedly explained to police. Then she wanted a gun he said she previously gave him back and threatened to call police or kill him if he failed to turn it over, he told officers.
Williams was holding a bag at the time and Miller-Brantley was worried it contained another gun, he said, so he pulled out a .22-caliber handgun and shot her five or six times, according to the charges.
He said he cried afterward because he felt bad for what he did, according to the charges.
The shooting was the latest in a history of violent behavior by Miller-Brantley, which dates back to his juvenile years, according to the court petition filed about his mental health.
The petition indicates Miller-Brantley also has a long history of refusing to take the medications prescribed to treat his mental health diagnosis.
His past juvenile convictions include aggravated battery of a senior citizen in Illinois, as well as convictions of domestic assault, first-degree aggravated robbery and fourth-degree assault as an adult, the petition said.
While in custody following the Williams’ death. Miller-Brantley reportedly threatening to hurt a corrections officer and other inmates in jail, the petition said.
He is still reportedly refusing to take his medication while in custody, and was still experiencing auditory hallucinations and delusions, according to the petition.
Miller-Brantley admitted during his evaluation that he was experiencing hallucinations and hearing voices when he shot Williams, the petition said.
Miller-Brantley’s civil commitment case is now proceeding, with a court trial scheduled in that case in early February.
The attorney listed for Miller-Brantley in civil records could not be immediately reached for comment.