Biloxi to drop charge against MDOT director Brown

Published 11:00 am Thursday, November 18, 2010

BILOXI (AP) — The attorney for state transportation director Larry “Butch” Brown says his client will enter anger management classes and, in return, the city of Biloxi will drop a public intoxication charge.

The agreement was announced Thursday in Biloxi city court.

Brown, 67, of Natchez, is executive director of the Mississippi Department of Transportation. He was scheduled to stand trial in Biloxi on charges arising from an incident at Beau Rivage Casino in July.

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Brown did not appear in court Thursday.

His attorney, Walter Brown of Natchez, no relation, said if the MDOT chief successfully completes the anger management course, the charges against him will be dropped and his record will be expunged.

“I think it was a just result in the end,” Walter Brown said. “Mr. (Butch) Brown is apologetic to the officer and all involved. He has no hard feelings about it. He has other things on his mind right now.”

Butch Brown recently announced that he is undergoing treatment for a recurrence of prostate cancer.

He was arrested early July 23 at the casino. Biloxi police records say Butch Brown was “intoxicated and unconscious” at a slot machine. Casino security detained Butch Brown until police arrived. The MDOT director was booked into the Harrison County jail, where he later posted a $480 bond.

Butch Brown has said the incident was a misunderstanding and he was neither drunk nor disorderly.

Walter Brown said Butch Brown was given a Breathalyzer test at the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department the morning of his arrest and the results showed his blood alcohol level was below the legal limit of 0.08 percent.