Quintez Brown said he would be 'Equalizer' on day he shot at Craig Greenberg, prosecutors claim

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) – Prosecutors have asked a judge to sentence Quintez Brown Friday to the maximum sentence of 18 years in prison for shooting Craig Greenberg in 2022, arguing he planned to murder the then-mayoral candidate.

In a recently filed sentencing memorandum, prosecutors told the judge they may present two witnesses at the sentencing, and several victims in the case may speak about how the shooting has affected their lives.

While Brown has claimed he never meant to hurt or kill anyone, prosecutors allege that he texted his girlfriend that morning saying he wanted to be the “Equalizer,” referencing a movie in which Denzel Washington plays a former Marine who kills numerous criminals.

In addition, Brown took “direct aim” at Greenberg and shot at him multiple times, twice hitting the desk were Greenberg was sitting. The wall immediately behind where Greenberg was sitting had multiple bullet holes, according to pictures of the scene.

“The evidence – including eyewitness testimony and the bullet holes directly behind where Greenberg was sitting – suggests that it was a miracle that Greenberg was not killed or seriously injured,” according to the prosecution. “The same evidence supports the inference that the defendant intended to commit murder.”

On July 19, Brown pleaded guilty is U.S. District Court to interfering with federally protected activities and discharging a firearm in relation to that interference. He faces a sentence of 15 years to 18 years in prison under the plea.

In court documents filed last week, Brown’s attorneys asked for the minimum sentence, saying he maintains he was not attempting to kill or hurt anyone, though he admits he fired a gun into Greenberg's campaign office in the Butchertown Market on Story Avenue on Feb. 14, 2022.

No one in Greenberg's campaign office was injured, but he was grazed by a bullet that left a hole in the sweater he was wearing.

Attorneys for Brown argued his attempt to intimate or interfere with the campaign occurred while he was going through a mental health crisis “that caused him to undertake this violent action – it was extremely aberrant behavior for Mr. Brown and he deeply regrets it,” according to the sentencing memorandum.

A mitigation specialist hired by the defense wrote that Brown’s mental health problems, which began in 2020, made him suicidal and he woke up February 14, 2022, “with one mission for the day: to die. As he made his way to the Greenberg campaign headquarters, Quintez thought he wouldn’t even have to fire the gun, because the cops would show up and shoot him first.”

But prosecutors argued Brown took his time and detailed his plans to shoot Greenberg. On the morning of the shooting, Brown told his girlfriend that he would be the “Equalizer,” referencing a movie in which Denzel Washington plays a former Marine who kills numerous criminals.

According to prosecutors, Brown was angry at Greenberg, in part because Brown was opposed to the West End Tax Increment Financing, which he believed would cause gentrification of the West End. Greenberg helped write the legislation for the West End TIF.

Brown posted an image of Greenberg engulfed in flames as a “devil” on social media and later implied that Greenberg had paid for endorsements, according to the sentencing memorandum posted in U.S. District Court Friday.

Prosecutors also allege Brown became active in a Black nationalist militia group “that has coopted Jewish symbols and terminology in support of the idea that Black people are the real Jewish people,” according to the court documents. Greenberg, who was elected mayor, is Jewish.

While researching Greenberg, Brown also searched for the location of Republican candidate Bill Dieruf, the former Jeffersontown mayor, prosecutors alleged.

In addition, prosecutors have argued Brown had a "plan of action" starting in January 2022 when he purchased a gun. On Jan. 22, he practiced shooting at a gun range in Indiana, they said.

In February 2022, Brown looked online to find where Greenberg lived and where his campaign office was located.

On Feb. 13, 2022, Brown went to Greenberg's home with a gun, but it jammed when he put a bullet in backward, prosecutors alleged. He looked online how to fix it and if there was a place to buy another gun nearby before giving up and going home.

The next morning, as soon as a pawn shop opened downtown, Brown bought another gun and went to Greenberg's office.

The documents entered by the defense include several letters of support written on behalf of Brown, saying that he was “a remarkable young man” who cares about his community but a mental health crisis “derailed his trajectory.”

The assistant vice president of Jefferson Community and Technical College as well as members of the Louisville Urban League were among those who wrote U.S. District Court Judge Benjamin Beaton in support of Brown.

The memorandum notes that Brown is determined to receive mental health care while incarcerated and will be ready to give back to the community when he is released.

The defense also points out that this is the first time Brown has been in trouble and had been a “compassionate, thoughtful member of the community with a lot of promise for the future.”

“Fifteen years in custody will be adequate time for Mr. Brown to get his mental health completely under control,” according to Brown’s attorneys. “The additional three years requested by the United States will not serve any purposes of sentencing. Fifteen years is sufficient to meet the goals.”

Prosecutors want the full 18 year-sentence, arguing that Brown knew exactly what he was doing.

“The defendant’s reasoning for shooting at Greenberg was not delusional or incoherent,” according to the sentencing memorandum. “Rather, the defendant’s actions were consistent with his long-held political views.”

Brown, 23, had faced a possible life in prison sentence if convicted at trial.

Judge Beaton has said he did not foresee any reason to reject the plea deal. However, if he does reject it, Brown can withdraw his plea.

Brown is also charged in state court with attempted murder and four counts of wanton endangerment. That case will be concluded after Brown is sentenced in federal court. Defense attorneys and prosecutors have agreed to a 10-year sentence which will run at the same time as the federal sentence.

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