Pubdate: Thu, 28 Feb 2002
Source: Tennessean, The (TN)
Copyright: 2002 The Tennessean
Contact:  http://www.tennessean.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/447
Author: Nikki Leenders, NewsChannel5

OLDER SISTER OF DEAD TEEN CHARGED WITH MURDER

FRANKLIN -- A young Franklin woman is facing second-degree murder
charges for giving her brother LSD hours before he jumped into traffic
on Interstate 40 in Nashville.

Williamson County Sheriff deputies yesterday arrested Brandi Gussow,
18, of 615 Liberty Pike, in connection with the Feb. 4, 2001, death of
her brother Shawn Gussow, 15.

Shawn and a friend had left his sister and others at a concert by the
group Insane Clown Posse at 328 Performance Hall in Nashville, saying
they intended to walk home to Franklin. Witnesses said Shawn appeared
to have jumped in front of traffic near the I-40 and Interstate 65
junction at about 9:40 p.m. The friend later told police that he and
Shawn had taken LSD. Toxicology tests confirmed that.

John E. Brown Jr., an investigator with the district attorney's
office, said Brandi Gussow is being prosecuted under a section of the
second-degree murder statute that covers "unlawful Distribution of any
Schedule I or Schedule II drug when such drug is proven to be the
proximate cause of the death of the user."

Mark Gussow, father of Brandi and Shawn, said his daughter's arrest is
just another blow to an already devastated family.

"If it was something that she intended to do, or if she meant harm to
my son or her brother, I wouldn't think it was harsh," he said. "But
under the circumstances, she's been through enough already."

According to prosecutors, intent does not matter in this case. The law
says only that prosecutors must prove that the defendant provided the
victim with the drugs that led to the victim's death.

Both Mark Gussow and Brown said Brandi and Shawn were very close. Mark
Gussow said Brandi had to undergo months of counseling after Shawn's
death. 
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