Brandon Crump, a man convicted in the shooting death of four-year-old Rowan Sweeney filed for an appeal in September. 

The brief detailing the circumstances for the appeal was released on Tuesday citing possible errors made during the trial process.

According to the brief here are the reasons for the appeal.

  • Excessive gruesome photographs: The defense believes the excessive use of crime scene photographs was unnecessary given the noted cause of death.
  • Insufficient indictment: This is due to the defense's argument that because there was no substantial overt act given in the indictment of Crump, it is not a legally sufficient indictment.
  • Insufficient evidence for conspiracy conviction: The appeal contends that the evidence provided was insufficient for a conspiracy conviction.
  • Improper admission of "other acts" evidence: The defense claims that the admission of evidence in unrelated acts before the ones Crump was being held in trial for was an error in the trial process.
  • Verdict against the manifest weight of the evidence: The appeal argues that because of the lack of a credible and impartial eyewitness at the scene of the crime, the verdict was made against the manifest weight of the evidence provided.
  • Erroneous sentencing: The defense believes the trial court erred when giving Crump his sentence due to a lack of consideration towards the defendant's past trauma and mental health diagnoses.

Crump was one of three men convicted after a home invasion left the young Sweeney dead in 2020. Crump was the last of the men involved to be sentenced in the case.

As it stands today he is serving anywhere from 52 years to life in prison for charges of aggravated murder, attempted murder, aggravated burglary, aggravated robbery, conspiracy, robbery, escape and firearm specifications.