Lawrence County District Attorney Joshua Lamancusa, who took office Monday after being elected in November, has a conflict of interest. On the morning of Feb. 21, 2009, attorney Dennis Elisco met a boy who changed his life. Chris had been at his job in the shipping department of a local tableware company when he received the news. We However, his lawyers continued to file appeals on his behalf, which resulted in a 50 verdict to overturn his conviction on July 18, 2018, by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. After nine-and-a-half years, Chris Brown felt as if a great weight had been lifted off him and his family. And the murder weapon appeared to be Jordan Brown's child-sized gun. Threats of harming another Home. She even had a stepson through Chris in the form of his 11-year-old son Jordan. Please sign the petition below to urge the courts to reopen Kenzie Marie Houks case and get justice. Stay at Home shutterstock.com A hearing on it is scheduled for Jan. 29. Christopher Brown, Jordan's dad, was working at the time, so he had an alibi (perABC News). lot when his Dad wasn't around.". Jordan Brown was charged as an adult Saturday with killing Houk They interviewed 7-year-old Jenessa four times, but only recorded the fourth interview. "It's been at least two months that he's made the threats," Pregnant woman's mom: 11-year-old made threats, In this undated photo released by the Houk family shows Kenzie Marie Houk with her daughters Jenessa, left, and Adalynn in Wampum, Pa.. Eleven-year-old Jordan Brown is charged in the shooting death of the 26-year-old pregnant mother of two. In this undated photo released by the Houk family shows Kenzie Marie Houk with her daughters Jenessa, left, and Adalynn in Wampum, Pa.. Eleven-year-old Jordan Brown is charged in the shooting death of the 26-year-old pregnant mother of two. The following years saw Jordan Brown fighting for his freedom and reading the fantasy books his father brought for him. PITTSBURGH - An 11-year-old boy accused of killing his father's racist or sexually-oriented language. He believed it had been a work truck and thought nothing of it. Chance of rain 60%. Winds light and variable. reporters the boy also told his son he wanted to kill Kenzie and Christopher left for work that morning, while the kids and Houk got ready for their day. Ellwood City Ledger reports that in order to get to the school bus with Jenessa, Jordan would have had only two minutes to murder Houk, clean the bullet debris off himself, clean the gun, and leave the house. He is in a state of disbelief and shock., Elisco echoed Bongivengos words, saying this is an extremely tragic situation.. Brown and his dad Christopher lived with Houk and her two small David H. Acker and Dennis A. Elisco, Jordans attorneys, describe Janessa as perhaps the most critical witness in this case. NORMAL A Normal woman is suing the town's police department in federal court after she said officers used excessive force and arrested her w. Use the 'Report' link on Two years after his guilty verdict for the first-degree murder of Kenzie and the criminal homicide of her unborn child was overturned for good, Jordan filed a federal lawsuit against a few former police officials over his stolen childhood. Be Truthful. Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. The decision was the biggest setback yet for the Brown family. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a16991fef3235fa Eventually, at 14, Jordan was found delinquent and sentenced to be held at juvie until 21. He said he could not be specific about what they were looking for because he did not want to endanger potential evidence or the investigation. On February 20, 1997, the fifth-grader followed his normal routine alongside 7-year-old Jenessa Houk, his soon-to-be step-sister, and left home at almost 8:15 in the morning for school. Hes insightful, hes intellectual, hes introspective. Several times during Saturdays press conference, the district attorney said he could not comment, including when asked if the boy had confessed. a good shot. He knew the Browns son, Jordan, 14, is charged in her shooting death as well as the death of her unborn baby. Please subscribe to keep reading. Kenzie Houks family is coming along since she was taken from them five years ago. accounts, the history behind an article. But he still had to wait until 2018 for his charges to be officially overturned. Noga attributed the death of Houks baby to anoxia, a lack of oxygen to the bodys tissues. Rain earlythen remaining cloudy with showers overnight. She had been shot in the back of the neck. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. As an 11-year-old, Jordan was held at Edmund Thomas Adolescent Center in Erie County, Pennsylvania, until he stood trial. According to Bongivengo, there were initial reports from the boy about a black truck in the area that the children didnt recognize. According to Bongivengo, who called the crime heinous, the 4-year-old didnt hear the shooting. They interviewed 7-year-old Jenessa four times, but only recorded the fourth interview. telephone call seeking comment Tuesday. She even had a stepson through Chris in the form of his 11-year-old son Jordan. (AP Photo/The Houk Family). The declaration did not declare him innocent but it did mean he couldnt be retried. In addition, Houks daughter said she also witnessed Brown drop something on the ground from his pocket before they got on the bus, which was where the spent shotgun shell was found. Lawrence County Coroner Russell S. Noga and deputy coroner Richard Johnson were summoned and pronounced her dead shortly after they arrived around 10:30 a.m. Houks death had been pretty immediate, Noga said, and estimated she had been dead about three hours by the time he and Johnson arrived. They didnt move her, choosing to preserve the integrity of the scene as they waited for the medical examiner. Pietrandrea said Houks request is reasonable. After attending court proceedings since Jordans arrest, Jack Houk said he does not think hell go to any more hearings. Kenzie Houks mother has sued Chris Brown, asking that her granddaughters photos be removed from the Jordan Brown trust fund website. He gets all the breaks. The fetus was viable and the death of the mother caused the death of the baby.. That little baby was perfect," Debbie Houk said. or anything. All I want is for him to say that he loved my daughter and that he felt bad about what happened.. If convicted, he could become the youngest person in U.S. history to be sentenced to life in prison without parole. View the profiles of people named Janessa Houk. Bones found in Taylor Township identified as Story, Pa. state senators urge Biden to restart Keysto, Successes despite setbacks veteran and New Ca, Larry Pugh discusses Black history during library event, Dollar General plans new Neshannock store, Column by Ron Poniewasz Jr.: WPIAL doesn't disappoint with questionable playoff venues, Two charged in gunfire while driving incident, Man charged for being inside condemned house, County WPIAL teams bidding for berth in state title tilt, Amish buggy crash victim described as good neighbor, Woman accused of stabbing man with scissors, New Castle school administrators getting raises, ROBISON, Linda May 19, 1951 - Mar 1, 2023, MARCEAU JR., William Jul 29, 1956 - Feb 27, 2023, SNIDER, Steven Jun 10, 1983 - Jan 25, 2023. They interviewed 7-year-old Jenessa four times, but only recorded the fourth interview. God bless those khakis! Her statement was very credible. Kenzie Houk's younger daughter Adalynn describes finding her mom dead . The worst pieces of circumstantial evidence, though, were that there was apparently traces of gunshot residue on his clothing and Jenessas recounting of that morning during her second police interview. The girls were sent to their fathers house while Chris and Jordan stayed in the home. person will not be tolerated. About 20 officers had worked the scene Friday, he said, many staying well into Saturday morning. But when a tree-service crew showed up at the house at 9, one of the workers observed Houk's 4-year-old daughter crying at the door that her mother was dead. Jenessa Houk. In prison, Jordan spent a majority of his time reading fiction, learning guitar, and playing basketball, so hes now hoping to continue that. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for Thursday morning. We'd love to hear eyewitness Jordan has always maintained that he was innocent of Houk's killing, but with Houk's family and the police working against him, the fifth-grader was stuck in the juvenile detention system. This has forever ruined her birthday, she said. By that point, Jenessa had changed her story. Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. Chance of rain 60%.. At around 3:30 am, Chris awoke to the police pounding on his door. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, 11-year-old boy who was about to become her stepson. But he had been at work during the shooting, so he couldnt have done it. Winds light and variable. or anything. The two children then got on the school bus at the end of their driveway and went to school. Their photos should not be on the Internet., More in TIMELINE: Jordan Brown case (36of59). For Houk's daughters Jenessa and Adalynn, they face a life without a mother. If he does, the decisions would fall to the judge. PETE SIRIANNI | NEWS; May 18, 2018 May 18, 2018 Updated May 18, 2018; 0; Shenango's Jenessa Houk competes in the discus finals during the WPIAL championship meet at Baldwin High . "Jordan had made a remark in my computer room, the kids play room, that if he had a gun he would pop Kenzie and the two little girls," she said. She said the girls have seen photos and tapes of their mother and remark on her beautiful smile and that she always looked happy. Don't Threaten. Bloomington woman charged with battery of BPD officer, 1 killed in crash on Interstate 55 in McLean County, Rivian employee alleges racial discrimination in federal lawsuit, Kindred: Former Bloomington star DMitri Dunson-Riggs giving back to game he loves, Illinois State Fair announces 2023 theme days, Chenoa man sentenced to 6 years for attempted child porn. If either child spoke to anyone at school about the incident, or gave any indication that anything was not normal, Bongivengo said, he was not aware of it. It would be the last time he was home for years: the 11-year-old was going to be charged as an adult for Houk's murder, according toNew Castle News. Don't knowingly lie about anyone Feb. Hes hoping to get reimbursement for the gas money his father spent to come and see him every day, but this case could also attain him much more. Threats of harming another Roughly 45 minutes later, Kenzie's other daughter, 4-year-old Adalynn, found the body and alerted others. blanket and came back downstairs to Houk's bedroom and shot her in A Bloomington-Normal music teacher has been sentenced to 88 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to sexual as. He reported the baby was 19 1/2 inches long and weighed 7.4 pounds. Hes remarkable, Alec Wright, one of Jordans lawyers, candidly stated. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. Kids charged with murder in Pennsylvania are automatically considered adults and only a judge's decision can move the trial to juvenile court. Wampum. He was finally exonerated by the Supreme Court of the charges that had defined much of his childhood. Bones found in Taylor Township identified as Story, Pa. state senators urge Biden to restart Keysto, Successes despite setbacks veteran and New Ca, Larry Pugh discusses Black history during library event, Dollar General plans new Neshannock store, Column by Ron Poniewasz Jr.: WPIAL doesn't disappoint with questionable playoff venues, Two charged in gunfire while driving incident, Man charged for being inside condemned house, County WPIAL teams bidding for berth in state title tilt, Amish buggy crash victim described as good neighbor, Woman accused of stabbing man with scissors, New Castle school administrators getting raises, ROBISON, Linda May 19, 1951 - Mar 1, 2023, MARCEAU JR., William Jul 29, 1956 - Feb 27, 2023, SNIDER, Steven Jun 10, 1983 - Jan 25, 2023. Youth model guns generally lighter weight and with a shorter stock are typical of families that hunt, Bongivengo noted. However she was at the courthouse that day, they said, where she was interviewed by members of the district attorneys office and possibly members of the Pennsylvania state police prior to the hearing. There was no shotgun residue found on Harvey's hands, and he still had snow on the hood of his car as evidence he hadn't been driving that day. "The judge is saying in order to be tried as a juvenile you need to admit that you've done the crime. ", Jordan was denied the chance to stay in a juvenile facility where he would be released by the age of 21 as requested by his lawyers. Will you do the same? October 20, 2018 Pregnant woman found murdered, police suspect her fiance's 11-year-old son Twenty-six-year-old Kenzie Houk had been shot in the back of the head, and police arrested Jordan Brown, the son of Houk's fiance, for her murder. Jordan said he had seen a black truck near his house that morning, but he didn't think anything of it at the time. "I wake up in the middle of the night and think I'm going to have an anxiety attack knowing that I'm never seeing her again. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google. You have permission to edit this article. Share with Us. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism Those evaluations are required by state law to determine if the youth is receiving adequate treatment. Bongivengo explained that children between the ages of 10 and 18 normally are treated as juveniles. He spent his weekend in the Lawrence County jail. Supreme Court case banning the death penalty for juveniles in 2005. Lawrence County District Attorney John Bongivengo noting that under Pennsylvania law he had no choice has charged the boy as an adult. Of course, Harvey also just discovered that 4-year-old Adalynn, was not his biological daughter as he once believed her to be. The morning of Feb. 20, 2009, workers cutting trees in New Beaver Borough were surprised to . On February 20, 2009, 26-year-old Kenzie Marie Houk and her unborn son, Christopher were murdered. We lost a daughter and a grandchild. She first said she didn't see anything unusual with. But everything changed on the morning of February 20, 2009. One Pennsylvania family's happy life was suddenly turned upside down in the blink of an eye. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism In all of this time, Chris has sat through hearings as if he does not care. That led to the transfer of prosecutorial responsibilities to the attorney general. A child's brain isn't fully developed -- especially in area that controls decision making, risk taking and impulse control, according to Steinberg, whose research influenced a Supreme Court case banning the death penalty for juveniles in 2005. Human gestation is generally 38 weeks, with two weeks more or less considered to be normal. Through Chris in the form of his 11-year-old son Jordan his charges to be Jordan Brown case 36of59! 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