BRYAN, Texas — On Thursday afternoon, Lanell Brown watched as her brother's fate fell in the hands of 12 jurors.
Those jurors came back with a guilty verdict for Dabrett Black. It's something Brown still cannot wrap her head around. Not just the case and the final verdict, but everything that has led up to this point.
"I'm not doing good at all because knowing that my brother is going through this is hard because I'm 10 years older and we have to do something," Brown said.
Before that fateful day in 2017, Black spent his early ears growing up in east Texas. He later joined the military and served in the Middle East, not just once or twice, but three times. After his second deployment, Brown said Black just wasn't the man or the brother she once knew.
"My brother served three tours in Iraq," she said quietly. "He came back not the same."
Black's military health records showed after being involved in several explosions, he began to suffer from traumatic brain injuries. He was also diagnosed with a delusional disorder and PTSD.
"He came back very hypervigilant, always looking over his shoulder, would get angry real quick," Brown said. "He normally wouldn't cuss but he started cussing."
Brown said she also started to see a violent side to her brother, but she said she never could've expected what happened when Black confronted Allen in Freestone County. However, there is no question in her mind that Black's service played a role in his decision that day.
"I'm sorry that trooper had to suffer from the hands of the training he did in the military," Brown said.
On November 23, 2017, Thanksgiving Day, Black shot and killed Texas DPS Trooper Damon Allen. Allen had pulled him over during a traffic stop in Freestone County.
Prosecutor Brian Evans said authorities were able to identify Black that day through footage at the scene. "A lot of times you don't get crime on video that's not what we normally deal with," he said.
During Black's trial, Evans and prosecutor Lisa Tanner presented the jury with video of Black shooting Allen, as well as what happened afterwards. Black led authorities on a manhunt and ran from law enforcement. He was found several hours later in Waller County.
While showing the video to the jury can be disturbing, Tanner said it is necessary for them to get the whole picture.
"It always bothers me," Tanner said. "I mean, you can't look at this and not be bothered by it but we have a job to do."
Prior to the shooting, Brown said her brother's mental health declined. She said she noticed he was buying firearms and she tried to confiscate them. She said she had a bad feeling about it, but couldn't quite figure out what he was thinking.
"That's one thing that I see was coming and I tried to prevent that," Brown said.
After the prosecution rested its case, Black's attorneys brought forth medical experts to talk to the jury about his PTSD and other disorders. They shared findings on studies on Black's brain. But the prosecution said this isn't the first time they've had to see testimony like this.
"I've dealt with these experts before," Tanner said. "I've dealt with this issue before but yes it was a lot."
Throughout the trial, the question became whether or not Black truly meant to kill Trooper Allen, or if his mental health got in the way.
"It's hard to deal with mental health because you feel fine one day, but next day you're not yourself," Brown said.
While Tanner said she understands this, after talking with Allen's family and his fellow troopers who knew him best, Tanner said the prosecution knew they had to pursue justice for Damon Allen. But Tanner said it comes at a cost for everyone.
"I feel terrible for his family but that doesn't change what we have to do as a society and what we can and cannot accept as a society," she said.
While the verdict brings the case to a close, closure for those who have to deal with the loss doesn't come as quickly. Allen's children spoke during the victim impact statements. His son told the jury he has chosen to not be angry about what happened anymore.
"Nothing's going to bring Damon back," Evans said. "There's no magic words that are gonna do that. I do think this gives resolution to everyone involved, law enforcement, the family and the community."
Despite his sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole, Brown said she is going to continue to fight for her brother. However, she reached out to the Allen family long before the trial, and even sat with them when the verdict was read. Brown said her heart goes out to the Allen family and everything they've had to go through.
"I'm going to continue to be my brother's advocate, but for the Allen family, if they need me I'm there," Brown said.
To see our full coverage of Black's trial start to finish, it is available on our YouTube page. Click here.