Under Pennsylvania law, an adjudicated juvenile offender cannot be held in custody past his 21st birthday. Jordan Brown, now 14, was found delinquent by Lawrence County Judge John Hodge - the juvenile court equivalent of a guilty verdict. And he told me everything was going to be all right, and I just sat there and cried.. Before watching Stephanie's video, I had very little knowledge about the case besides seeing his mugshot around the internet and people labeling him as one of the youngest killer. Of course a killer is going to say I didnt kill her, and of course a violent man who would kill his pregnant ex would be raised by an equally violent man who would have no problem providing an alibi for his son. The Lawrence County District Attorney's Office initially filed the charges in adult court because that is required in Pennsylvania homicide cases, regardless of a defendant's age. And again a third appeal was taken to the Pennsylvania Superior Court. I was just like, Hey mom, wake up. and when I turned her own, I realizedId come to the conclusion of what had happened. I didnt care. The tree trimmer called 911. Dara's mother, 64-year-old Linda McAllister, was shot dead in 2017, and the Hodges' daughter, 23-year-old Jordan Hodge, was convicted of the two murders, along with her boyfriend, 30-year-old . He was almost 21 when Pennsylvania's highest. Aired on 05/06/1991 | CC tv-pg. At all. Police are still confident Jordan Brown did it.. 11 is pretty young to straight up plan and commit a murder like that, perhaps though some here know of other instances. Evidence Popularised By A New Documentary And TikTok Theory Suggests An O.J. I'm a little on the fence concerning his guilt, but one thing I keep thinking about is this child, 11 years old at the time and now 21, has steadfastly proclaimed his innocence all of these years. Homicide, something of this magnitude was very, very uncommon, Martin said. They discovered Mrs. Borden's body a short time later. Attorney Katherine Burdick, another member of Browns defense team, discussed her reaction to the decision with local CBS station WKBN. I have been on the fence after seeing the 20/20 (originally thought he was innocent). Jordan Brown (right), seen here with his father Chris Brown (left), was released when he turned 18 in 2015. I honestly believed that jordan was guilty/there was enough evidence to prove it and never thought much of it since. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. And her face was facing me, Adalynn said. Kenzie Houks family is speaking out against the decision. A judge finding a juvenile delinquent is effectively a guilty verdict. Police say 23-year-old Jordan Brown was witnessed firing a handgun from inside a vehicle. Jordan Brown, who is attending college and studying computer science, is determined to leave his past behind. WAMPUM, Pa. A lawsuit has been filed against four former troopers and a former Pennsylvania State Police commissioner for wrongfully convicting Jordan Brown, who was exonerated in the 2009 deaths of his fathers fiance and unborn child. It was a frigid day in Wampum, a small town in Western Pennsylvania. The next day, state police arrested Brown, who was a fifth-grader at the time. Medical examiners determined early that both people probably had been killed with an ax or a hatchet. Jordan Browns father speaks out after sons murder conviction overturned Jordan Browns father speaks out after sons murder conviction overturned. The lawsuit claims the only evidence against Brown was a coerced and fabricated statement of his soon-to-be stepsister, who was 7-years-old at the time. In my 25 years, I believe it was the only one in that area that I can remember.. But still, that side of it, that suffering from the loss and not having any answers, knowing he was falsely accused and the route the prosecutor and investigators took on this, the inadequate investigation. Jordans defense lawyers say her timeline means Jordan wasnt there when Houk was killed, but Martin, who worked the case, says after so many years he doesnt find Adalynns account credible. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. It used to bother me all the time. I was happy. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts, https://people.com/crime/jordan-brown-case-murder-kenzie-houk-interview-after-prison/. I just watched the 20/20 episode. However, Jordan said he remembered seeing a black truck near the garage. Kids can be evil. You took an 11-year-olds childhood away from him. Its been a nightmare for nine-and-a-half years, Chris Brown said. She told WKBN that Brown has maintained his innocence from the beginning and expressed hopes for his future. You know, [he] maintained his innocence throughout from day one, he added. A week has passed since Roy Oliver, a Balch Springs police officer, shot his rifle through the window of a car and killed 15-year-old Jordan. "The conflict caused police to reinterview Jenessa, who told police that Jordan Brown had a shotgun covered in a blanket Friday morning and she heard a big boom prior to the pair leaving for school. A 7 yaer old probably wont be able to put 2+2 together. Davis's death helped inspire the Black Lives Matter Movement and contributed to the national debate Read MoreJordan Russell Davis (1995-2012) Love is the desire to see unneces The report also revealed that Houks ex-boyfriend had learned he was not the biological father of Houks youngest daughter just two weeks before the murder. On June 13, 2016, more than seven years after his arrest, Jordan Brown was released from juvenile custody, two months before his 19th birthday. Despite this, prosecutors excluded the ex-boyfriend as a suspect during their initial investigation. Kenzie Houk, seen here in this undated family photo, and Chris Brown were engaged when she was killed. Brown was found guilty of first-degree murder and homicide of an unborn child in connection with the death of his fathers fiance Kenzie Houk. They never said he wasnt guilty. I just did & dont understand the grounds they dismissed her ex as innocent. Following three days of testimony and legal argument, Judge Hodge issued his ruling on April 13, 2012, that Brown was responsible for first degree murder in the death of 26-year-old Kenzie Houk and of homicide in the death of her unborn male child. In fact, the prosecutions forensics expert had testified that these particles can be transferred. If I would read something and come across a word I didnt know, [I would] look it up. Two of the statements did not show that Brown was guilty, and the others were built on lies that were fed to her by the investigators. She never testified under oath. Presiding Judge Dominick Motto of the Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, Common Pleas Court initially denied decertification and transfer to juvenile court because Jordan would not admit his involvement in the crime. Charles . On July 18, 2018, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned his conviction in a 50 decision. They attempted CPR, but it was too late. Went to school.. Jon Venables and Robert Thompson were only 10 when they killed that poor toddler. The decertification ruling transferred Brown's case from adult court to Lawrence County's family court division regularly presided over by Judge Hodge, who handled the subsequent juvenile adjudication and dispositional hearings. At that point, we assumed that somehow she had hemorrhaged, Martin told 20/20. We didn't touch her, we didn't move her. Season Two 21st June 2004, Jim Donnelly goes to work as usual at the Glenbrook Steel Mill, places his lunch on the bench, gets changed into his work clothes - and is never seen again. [Then] she told me that when she was waiting downstairs for Jordan to come downstairs and go get the school bus like they normally do, she heard a big boom and she identified it as the sound of a gun, added retired Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Bobby McGraw. 2023 Cox Media Group. Her unborn son died as well. ", I just read about this case on people.com. Though Mr. Houk fully believes that Brown is the murderer, another possible suspect has been considered. Read that Supreme Court order and realize that this kid was done wrong., 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Wright says more than that, the evidence investigators gave to prosecutors was improperly gathered, mischaracterized or fabricated to support a theory that the then 11-year-old had committed the murder something he would have had to do and clean up without missing anything in the space of about 120 seconds. Police found several rounds of ammunition inside the family's farmhouse. On May 1, 2011, hours after a meeting of the neo-Nazi group at Hall's house in Southern California, the boy took his father's revolver from the upstairs bedroom where his stepmother was sleeping. Jordan Dewey Brown, 35, was charged Monday in 4th District Court with four counts of rape of a child, a first-degree felony; two counts of drug possession, a third-degree felony; and possession of drug paraphernalia, a class B misdemeanor. I also signed up to comment. The 20/20 interview also gave me the hunch he was guilty. He also claimed he didnt know where Houk lived. He kept talking about a piece of fuzz, and I got it out of my pocket and I threw it. In my opinion, he was focused on the shotgun shell casing that he threw after he left the residence, McGraw said. WAMPUM, Pa. -- Jordan Brown was 11 years old when he was arrested and initially charged as an adult for the murder of his pregnant, soon-to-be stepmother. They were saying there wasnt enough evidence. No question.. [12] Judge Hodge would announce Brown's disposition (the equivalent of a juvenile sentence) at a later date. His attorneys say police were never able to prove Jordan Browns shotgun was the murder weapon. Now 21, Brown, who spent more than. He is one. It's the totality of the circumstances. TACOMA, Wash. Jordan Brown was killed on March 19 at the World of Weed Cannabis Dispensary during an armed robbery. It wasnt until the coroner arrived and started taking photos, Martin said, that they realized this was something else. When Jenessa was re-interviewed, police said she had a startling recollection. My sister Jenessa woke me up, said Jordan Brown. Simpson Conspiracy Theory That O.J Simpson's Son Jason Be Guilty Of Murdering His Step-mother Nicole Brown And Ron Goldman. Houk, 26 and about eight months pregnant with Jordans little brother, was found dead in her bed by her 4-year-old daughter on Feb. 20, 2009. Now 21, Brown, who spent more than. Jordan Brown was 11 years old when he was arrested in the 2009 New Beaver, Pennsylvania, killing of 26-year-old Kenzie Houk and her unborn child. - The mother of 16-year-old George Almaraz Jr., who was killed, allegedly after suffering abuse from his stepmother, spoke about her son's brutal death. Cinnamon confessed to fatally shooting her step-mother and was sentenced to 27 years to life in prison. Chris Brown said he drove every day, 230 miles round trip, to see his son in detention. As for whether or not an 11 year old could commit this crime, I absolutely believe it is more than possible. Seriously the alibi for the ex boyfriend that threatened to kill her was he had some snow on his truck still..give me a break. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. It was a whole different world. Cinnamon Brown, who at age 14 carried out her father's command to kill her stepmother, was denied early release Tuesday by the state youth parole board despite her cooperation with authorities in . TPD says they have arrested 21-year-old Jordan Brown for first degree murder. Two years ago, Howard County State's Attorney Rich Gibson decided not to charge a Woodbine homeowner who shot and killed a drunken man at his door.The stranger had come to the wrong house . The discovery of that shell was not significant.. He has someone that says that he's at home and from the trooper that interviewed him, who said the truck didn't look like it had been driven and we took photos of the truck, Martin said. In 2016, Brown was released from juvenile detention, but he and his defense team continued to argue his innocence. They found Houk in the bedroom, he said, and thought at first that shed had a medical emergency. In my opinion, [it was] jealousy, jealousy of the impending birth, he said. His father backed up his alibi, confirming Harveys story that he was home with them. On May 8, 2013, Superior Court, in the second appeal that came before it in this case, ruled that "the juvenile court committed a palpable abuse of discretion in rendering a ruling that is plainly contrary to the evidence" and vacated the juvenile court's disposition of delinquency. Its my belief, especially after watching 20/20 that the police had tunnel vision. Emily's Death: Died September 18, 1979. He had 120 seconds to kill her and clean up. More than two years after Jordan Brown was charged, a judge ruled that his case would be moved from adult to juvenile court, where instead of facing life in prison he would get out far earlier. When his mug shot was taken, Jordan Brown said he had been crying the whole night. That decision, he told 20/20, is something that's haunted me.. Why would the police ignore it? I miss her every day, he said. Jenessa statements to police were never presented at trial, nor did she testify. Im from the nearby area also. But authorities transferred him to a juvenile center in March 2009 after his attorneys argued that the adult jail with its three cell blocks couldn't accommodate an 11-year-old boy. Two years later that resulted in the July 18, 2018 Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling. Both she and her unborn son died as a result of the attack. Just a fifth grader at the time, he said he didnt understand of what he was being accused. 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