Defendants plead not guilty to capital murder in death of Kamille ‘Cupcake’ McKinney

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - State court proceedings resume for defendants indicted on capital murder counts in the 2019 death of three-year-old Kamille ‘Cupcake’ McKinney.

Patrick Stallworth and Derick Brown were arraigned on capital murder counts Thursday. Both pleaded not guilty to the charges, which is common at this point in the case. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.

Stallworth and Brown waived arraignment on unrelated charges. Brown is indicted on kidnapping counts involving her own children, the charges were handed down prior to McKinney’s death in 2018. Stallworth is indicted on multiple counts of possession of child pornography. Police reportedly found the images on his phone while searching for McKinney.

Jefferson County Judge Alaric May told attorneys he anticipates the trial will be held in early 2024.

Last week, Stallworth and Brown were sentenced to life in federal prison for kidnapping convictions stemming from McKinney’s death.

McKinney was kidnapped from Tom Brown Village in Birmingham in October 2019. The child’s body was recovered ten days later in Birmingham landfill. The defendants were developed as suspects during a high-profile search. Brown and Stallworth, who were a couple at the time, flipped on each other during interviews with police. Brown led police to the child’s body; Stallworth told police Brown killed McKinney by covering her mouth and nose until she stopped breathing. Autopsy results revealed McKinney died of suffocation. The defendants didn’t know the child or her family.

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