Timeline
August 13, 2010
Brian's sentence reduced to 38.5 years, after appeal.
January 9, 2003
Brian sentenced to 48.5 years
December 17, 2002
"Tell Brian I'm sorry," said juror #5 who thought he was innocent but felt intimidated to vote guilty.
December 16, 2002
Trial #3 jury reached verdict
October 21, 2002
May 3, 2002
September 14, 2001
Appeals court overturned Brian's murder and assault convictions
April 2001
Appeals judge criticizes search warrant: "I've never seen anything quite so sloppy as this."
January 29, 1998
January 13, 1997
April 1996
Investigators removed more evidence from unsecured house, conducted blood splatter tests
October 31, 1995
Brian moved from hospital to jail
October 26, 1995
October 24, 1995
Bananola's body shipped to Hawaii, Brian arrested and assigned counsel
October 17, 1995
Autopsy conducted by Pierce County Medical Examiner
October 16, 1995
Raid at the Eggleston home, Deputy John Bananola died
October , 1995
Search warrant obtained
January 31, 1994
Brent Eggleston sworn in as Pierce County Sheriff Dept deputy
1992
Brian hospitalized, his diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome changed to ulcerative colitis
1984
Brian misdiagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome
July 1, 1970
Brian Thomas Eggleston born
October 16, 1995, just past 7:30 a.m.
Brian Eggleston lived in Tacoma, WA in a neighborhood that is somewhat prone to crime, his house had been broken into before. The house was small, about 900 square feet. His parents and girlfriend also lived in the house. His brother, Brent, was a Pierce County Sheriff Department deputy at the time and had been living in the house with his wife, but moved out a few months earlier, unbeknownst to the department.
Brian was sleeping in his bed one morning when he heard a noise. He grabbed his gun and stepped out into the 7' long hallway, naked. He saw a dark shadow, then muzzle flashes. He suddenly felt excruciating pain in his groin. He was being shot at, so he shot back. A gunfight took place. Brian ended up on the floor in the small hallway, swimming in a pool of his own blood. Deputy John Bananola ended up dead on the living room floor. After it was over, Brian could not believe that the intruders were Pierce County Sheriff Department deputies.
Within seconds, the lives of so many people were destroyed.
Brian's mother, Linda Eggleston, had been asleep in her bedroom at the time of the raid. His father, Tom, was asleep on the couch in the living room. None of them heard the "knock and announce" that deputies claimed to have made as they walked through the unlocked door. The deputies' testimonies about how they identified themselves were inconsistent from one trial to the next and from one deputy to the next.
The prosecution's story was that Brian walked into the living room and stood over Bananola and shot him within inches, as all the other officers stood and watched. The truth is that Brian never left the hallway, he was severely injured and losing mass amounts of blood. He was shot in the testicles, knee and lungs. Brian and his mother were clinging to each other in the hallway as they slid around in Brian's blood. Linda was yelling "Call 911" and "Don't hurt my son!" as the deputies continued to beat Brian as he lay on the floor.
Brian faced men in ski masks and dark clothing. A neighbor saw the raid team run out of the house after the shooting and put on Sheriff's vests.
If it was indeed Brian's bullet that killed Bananola, it was done in self-defense because Brian thought his house was being robbed. Brian saw no sign that these men were deputies. It is also possible that within that tiny house and with so many people shooting at close range, one of the other deputies could have accidentally shot Bananola or a bullet ricocheted off of a wall or piece of furniture and hit him.
John Bananola's body was buried in Hawaii before Brian was officially arrested and assigned counsel eight days after raid. Thus, an autopsy on Brian's behalf was not possible and the evidence was buried. However, during those eight days, he was chained to a bed in a military hospital with police outside of his door and nobody was allowed to see him.
There have been three trials on this case, but the truth has not yet been heard. The first trial, in which Brian faced the death penalty, ended with a hung jury. Brian was sent to prison on drug charges, the longest sentence in WA history for someone accused of possession of marijuana. In the second trial he was charged with murder, but it was appealed and overturned due to errors included unfair jury instructions, illegally seized evidence and misconduct by a juror who told others about Eggleston’s earlier assault and drug convictions. After Pierce County spent a huge amount of money on three trials, Brian was convicted of murder in the third trial and sentenced to 48.5 years in prison. The sentence was later appealed and reduced to 38.5 years.
Brian's family and friends know that Brian did not stand over John Bananola and intentionally shoot him. Brian is not a murderer, he is a kind man, a loving son, a wonderful brother and uncle, a very good friend. Those who know and love Brian are not giving up on getting Justice 4 Brian.
