Picayune man could face life in prison

Brain Henry Pittman

A jury in St. Tammany Parish recently found a Picayune, Mississippi man guilty in a 2015 burglary and attack in Slidell, authorities said in a press release.

A hat that Brian Henry Pittman left behind at the victim's house was used to link Pittman to the crime, North Shore District Attorney Warren Montgomery on Monday.

Montgomery said Pittman, age 34, of Picayune, will be sentenced by state District Judge Richard Swartz on Dec. 15 and could spend the rest of his life in prison.

The jury on Oct. 25 unanimously found Pittman guilty of aggravated battery, attempted armed robbery and simple burglary of an inhabited dwelling.

Prosecutors said a Slidell resident was outside cooking on a patio grill March 29, 2015, when Pittman walked into the yard and asked for money. Authorities said Pittman brandished a knife and hit the victim in the face. The victim fled to a neighbor's home and prosecutors said Pittman then went inside the victim's home to look for items of value. When Pittman fled the home he left behind a cap, which investigators were able to link to him through DNA analysis.

Pittman, who has a 2011 conviction for home invasion, faces 5 to 20 years for the aggravated battery, 25 to 99 years for the attempt armed robbery and 6 to 24 years for simple battery, Montgomery said.