By C. Ruth Ebrahim, Staff Writer

7/16/04

In response to the wrongful death lawsuit filed by Evelyn “E.B.” Brooks—as estate executor for her deceased husband, O. Perry Brooks—the man accused of her husband’s murder filed an $11.4 million counter suit. John F. Ames, 59, filed the counter suit on July 6. He claims E.B. Brooks, her daughter Jacqueline Coleman, her son-in-law Matthew Coleman, and three unnamed third party defendants acted in conspiracy to trespass and commit illegal acts on Holly Hill Farm. He also filed his grounds of defense to the original $10.4 million wrongful death suit in Caroline Circuit Court on July 9. In the suit paperwork, Ames denies all allegations made in the original suit—including that he should have regarded the life of Perry Brooks more carefully. Court records specify that Ames caused a firearm to discharge on his property on April 19, which resulted in the death of Perry Brooks. Attorney Kenneth C. Hirtz filed the grounds of defense, in response to the original civil suit filed by the Brooks family, on behalf of Ames. The defense contends that Brooks’ actions caused his own death, and the man accused of murder acted out of self-defense when he shot and killed the 74-year-old man.

Read More By Subscribing to The Caroline Progress Or Checking Back for Updates