Missouri high court reverses conviction in murder case

The Missouri Supreme Court has reversed the second-degree murder conviction of a man convicted of shooting and killing another at a birthday party, concluding a demonstration by prosecutors at trial was improper.

Anthony Brown was convicted in St. Louis Circuit Court of second-degree murder for the June 2007 death of Robert Anderson. Brown argued he fired in self-defense after Anderson pulled a gun from his left pants pocket.

In closing arguments, prosecutors demonstrated for the jury that a .38-caliber revolver could not have fit in the victim's pocket as described by witnesses.

Missouri's high court ruled Tuesday the demonstration was improper because there was no evidence the revolver resembled the gun allegedly carried by the victim. The court ordered the case returned to the trial court.