By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. It had been a Christmas gift from his father because the two liked to go hunting together. An investigator on the case, since retired, told ABC he was sure of Jordans guilt. Its been a long road., Chris said then that while much his sons life was lost behind bars, the future was now available: I think what matters most is moving on from this day forward and what you do from this day on.. magazine: 'I said to her, "Listen, it was really naughty that that boy hit. Paedon Brown of Sister Wives breaks down the barriers and opens up about his relationship with Kody Brown and his wife, Robyn. "As a proud American, a father who lost his own dad in a senseless act of violence, and a black man, I have . I know they don't teach that at school. Chris Brown said he drove every day, 230 miles round trip, to see his son at the center. Vous pouvez modifier vos choix tout moment en consultant vos paramtres de vie prive. (We) went to school.". And that made me happy. But now I'm kind of, like, I go back and forth sometimes, I think," he said. [We] went to school.". Police also said they found a 20-gauge shotgun shell casing in pristine condition next to the family's driveway and found some evidence of gunshot residue on Jordan's clothing. "We should all learn from what happened here and that Jordan is a very strong young man," Collafella. These ventures are why the latter bought a youth-sized 20-gauge shotgun for his son, which the police considered the murder weapon. Jordan Brown spent eight summers in detention and was released when he turned 18 in 2016. As the years passed, Jordan Brown said he spent much of his time absorbed in the books his father brought him, reading with a dictionary next to him. With the ruling this summer, Houks murder remains unsolved an agony that appears to have fractured two families that were, at one time, about to merge. After his arrest, Amnesty International came forward to oppose Jordan being tried as an adult. HARRISBURG, Pa. Following a Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision to overturn the murder conviction of Jordan Brown in the 2009 shooting death of his father's pregnant fiance, the now 20-year-old's father and attorneys spoke out Monday. "Read that Supreme Court order and realize that this kid was done wrong. "If I would read something and come across a word I didn't know, (I would) look it up. Finally, the truth finally got out," Jordan Brown said. "They told me that [she and] the baby were gone, and I remember collapsing in the yard," Chris Brown told ABC News' Juju Chang. ", "My sister Jenessa woke me up," Jordan Brown said. We did not get this wrong," McGraw told ABC News. Jordan Brown Speaks After Murder Conviction Is Overturned Crime Charged with Murdering Dad's Fiance When He Was 11, Now 21-Year-Old Speaks After Court Freed Him Jordan Brown was a. Throughout Jordan Brown's stay in detention in Erie, his father continued to ask him whether he'd killed Houk. The 11-year-old's photo made it to the cover of a London newspaper. HARRISBURG, Pa. Following a Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision to overturn the murder conviction of Jordan Brown in the 2009 shooting death of his father's pregnant fiance, the now. (AP Photo/Lawence County Prison via Beaver County Times. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. 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. Published: 19:39 GMT, 27 February 2023 | Updated: 20:32 GMT, 27 February 2023. "They put me in the back of the car and they took me to the police barracks. The tree trimmers called 911, and shortly thereafter, police contacted Chris, who was already at work that morning in the shipping department of a tableware company. On February 20, 2009, the 8-month pregnant mother of two was shot in the back of her head while sleeping in the Pennsylvania home she shared with her family. My wife is so much in shock I think Im gonna have to take her to the hospital. On April 13, 2012, Judge Hodge ruled that Jordan was responsible for first-degree murder in the death of Kenzie Houk. Read on to learn more about Browns case. Speaking to press after Jordan was deemed responsible for his daughters death, Jack Houk stated that Jordan was evil., "They're accusing an 11-year-old." When his mug shot was taken, Jordan Brown said, he was crying. "You took an 11-year-old's childhood away from him. Owing in part to the discovery of a shotgun in the family home, near Wampum, as well as a shell casing outside and evidence of gunshot residue on his clothes, police zeroed in on 11-year-old Jordan. Yet, the one thing thats never-changing in her life is what transpired on February 20, 2009. Both attorneys say they would like the investigation to be reopened so that the Brown's family can finally have justice. "There's a murderer walking amongst us that has been overlooked," Chris Brown said. ABCs 20/20: My Son is Not a Monster is an episode that profiles the tale of Kenzie Marie Houks homicide with the help of interviews from all those involved. At the age of 4, the latter discovered her mothers remains. From his oldest son Logan Taylor Brown, who is 27, to his youngest, Ariella Mae Brown, who is five, Kody's kids are very different from their dad. IE 11 is not supported. And I was in there. During his incarceration, Jordan taught himself to play guitar and said he became a pretty good basketball player. Now that you all know. Jordan Brown said he has "mixed feelings" about what happened to him. "If I would read something and come across a word I didn't know, [I would] look it up. "It cost me my job, and what money that I had coming in went into the gas tank and went into things that he needed," Chris Brown said. "The headline simply read the world's youngest monster. While awaiting trial, Jordan Brown was housed for three years at the Edmund L. Thomas Adolescent Center in Erie County, Pennsylvania. There was nothing," says Wright. He told Hello! The daily journey, however, wreaked havoc on his finances, Chris Brown said. When he was just 11, Brown was charged with the murder of 26-year-old Kenzie Houk, who was eight months pregnant at the time. A hearing will determine if Jordan Brown should be released while awaiting a new trial in Lawerence County. Inside the Browns' farmhouse, police found handguns, rifles, and several rounds of ammunition. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. I didn't care. In a new interview James recalled Ella being hit by another little boy while at a soft play and how he handled the situation. In a rare move, the highest court in Pennsylvania ruled that "there was insufficient evidence" to prosecute the case. "I gave him every opportunity. When I left for court, and that was only every couple of months, that was the only time I would be able to actually see outside, he recalls. And most specifically, none of them were recorded except for the fourth of those interviews, which occurred after midnight," says Wright. And then they took me straight to the county jail," Jordan Brown said. After being arrested in February 2009, Jordan was placed in the Lawrence County Jail in Pennsylvania. Its something I wouldnt wish upon any parent out there, he told reporters in July, according to the Tribune-Review. The daily journey, however, wreaked havoc on his finances, Chris Brown said. ", Jordan said those visits were a lifeline: "I don't know what I would've done without them.". 4:00 PM Jordan Brown, accused at age 11 of killing his pregnant soon-to-be stepmother in Lawrence County, has maintained his innocence of the crime for nearly a decade. exclusive interview with ABC News' Juju Chang. Watch this report from Action News at Noon on October 19, 2018. At around 8:15 a.m., Jordan Brown said, he and then-7-year-old Jenessa, one of Houk's daughters, left the house to catch the school bus. It's saying that I have a charge in front of me in juvenile court, and I am finding that you are responsible for that crime," ABC News' Chief Legal Analyst Dan Abrams said. I think has just ruined us [from] ever having closure, he said. Does my fairy godmother ever turn up with a magic wand? In PEOPLE's exclusive look at Sunday's episode, Janelle, 52, has a . "Absolutely no evidence, direct or circumstantial, indicating that Jordan Brown committed this crime. Investigators said the gun smelled like it had recently been fired. Less than 24 hours later, Jordan was arrested. His conviction was overturned. She was clutching her blanket and insisting that her mother was gone. Jordan Brown, who is attending college and studying computer science, is determined to leave his past behind and prepare for brighter days ahead. Police also said they found a 20-gauge shotgun shell casing in pristine condition next to the family's driveway and found some evidence of gunshot residue on Jordan's clothing. Now, Jordan is speaking out about the case in an interview with ABC News airing on 20/20 and Nightline. With Conviction Overturned, Jordan Brown's Family, Attorneys Want Murder Case Reopened. That was our main goal. "They told me that (she and) the baby were gone, and I remember collapsing in the yard," Chris Brown told ABC News' Juju Chang. "(I) went downstairs, got my clothes, went in the bathroom (and) got dressed. 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. It would be another eight months before Jordan would stand trial for double homicide. Prosecutors argued in court that Jordan committed the murder and proceeded to get on the school bus not long after. ", "My sister Jenessa woke me up," Jordan Brown said. Meri Brown is speaking out after her husband Kody Brown revealed on Sunday's episode of Sister Wives that the two only see each other "once in a blue moon" and have "quit dating" one another. Houk, 26 and about eight months pregnant with Jordan's little brother, was found dead in her bed by her 4-year-old daughter on Feb. 20, 2009. Even all the adults loved it.'. The shooting. Its good to have Jordan back, to have him at home and the ability to put this behind us and move on. 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. Oscar Cainer tells all. While waiting for Jordan to leave the house with her, she told them she heard a boom and identified it to police as the sound of a gun. Inside the Browns' farmhouse, police found handguns, rifles, and several rounds of ammunition. "(I really) haven't had a chance to grieve properly," Chris Brown said. The Associated Press could not immediately locate relatives of the boy and his father for comment Monday. Brown is being held at the Lawrence County Jail, where jail officials said they don't have adequate accommodations for someone that young. In 2012, he was convicted in juvenile court of first-degree murder and first-degree homicide. Jordan Anthony Brown, an 11-year-old charged for the murder of Kenzie Marie Houk in Wampum, PA, is shown in this photo provided by the Lawence County Prison in New Castle, PA. Brown is the. The Dr. Phil Show is an American daytime talk show and TV series with host and personality Dr. Phil McGr. In a statement reported by NC News Online, Chris Brown said, Its been a long road I was overwhelmed with joy but still full of sorrow knowing that we will not have closure with our loss, Brown said. Police say she initially said nothing unusual happened that morning before school. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Jordan Brown was a fifth-grader in February 2009 when Pennsylvania police arrived to take him away as the sole suspect in the shotgun slaying of his dads pregnant fiance, Kenzie Houk. https://t.co/ZGewRPfd2o pic.twitter.com/AqYcdh7VOT. Informations sur votre appareil et sur votre connexion Internet, y compris votre adresseIP, Navigation et recherche lors de lutilisation des sites Web et applications Yahoo. Houk was a 26-year-old mother of two, died yesterday from a shotgun blast to the back of her head. Courtesy Chris Brown They took that from Jordan. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. The shooting of Kanzie Marie Houk, 26, and her unborn child, occurred on the morning of February 20, 2009. [13] He was to remain on juvenile court probation until he turned 21. "My biggest hopes for him probably is that he gets a fair shake moving forward, that, you know, people look at this and, for what it is, what it truly is," Chris Brown said. Attorney wants case movedDefense attorney Dennis Elisco has said he plans to ask a judge to move the case to juvenile court and to have the boy released on bail to his father. You know, (he) maintained his innocence throughout from day one," Chris Brown said. "I'm not angry. "I didn't understand what was happening. "I'm 100 percent, you know, a whole, clean slate. "But", I said, "If someone hits you, you hit them back". "He was the youngest person in American jurisprudence in the history of American justice to be facing adult charges for homicide as an 11-year-old," Elisco said. What life is like now for man arrested at age 11 for murder. When asked what message he had for the state police troopers who'd arrested his son, Chris Brown said, "'Shame on you,' is probably the most polite way to put it.". Kenzie Marie Houk with her daughters Jenessa, left, and Adalynn in Wampum, Pa.. Jordan Brown, 11,is charged in the shooting death of the 26-year-old pregnant mother of two. Chris said Jordan plans on living life like any normal 20 year old. 1.4M views 4 years ago Jordan Brown's murder conviction has been overturned and now his attorneys and father are hoping officials will reopen the case; KDKA's Jon Delano reports. Nous, Yahoo, faisons partie de la famille de marques Yahoo. TIMELINE: Jordan Brown case (16 of 59) State's high court sets hearing on teen's case +2 +2 Kenzie Houk's family is "coming along" since she was taken from them five years ago. Still, a juvenile court judge found Jordan Brown, now 14, delinquent in the case. Brown was exonerated by the Supreme Court in July of 2018. exclusive interview with ABC News' Juju Chang. Finally, it felt like a big weight had been lifted off of me. "They put me in the back of the car and they took me to the police barracks. State police have declined comment. "And I just remember looking at him thinking, 'How can this kid have any more hope?'". "It cost me my job, and what money that I had coming in went into the gas tank and went into things that he needed," Chris Brown said. Ola and James Jordan speak out on three-year-old daughter Ella's health troubles which left her struggling to hear after chronic ear infection. Jordan was released from juvenile detention in 2016, seven years after the murder of Kenzie Houk, since he had completed a slate of juvenile detention programs, per New Castle News. Everybody always feels so sorry for poor little Cinderella, but what about me? This included her new fianc, Chris Brown, his son, Jordan Brown, and her two daughters, Jenessa and Adalynn Houk. "It used to bother me all the time. That way I know what was trying to be said, and then that's how I read," he said. "I'll be honest with you, I suffer from PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder] over this," Chris Brown said. Houks 7-year-old daughter also said she had heard a loud noise in the house around the time of the shooting. And they took it from him at 3 a.m., in the middle of the night, with flashlights pointed in his face, for a crime he didn't commit. They also found a 20-gauge shotgun that belonged to Jordan. Jordan Brown, who'd been in custody throughout the investigation and trial, was eventually sent to George Junior Republic juvenile detention center in Grove City, Pennsylvania. And we just sat on the couch in the living room waiting and then Kenzie told us to go because the bus is coming and we're going to be late. They also found a 20-gauge shotgun that belonged to Jordan. And that made me happy. He graduated high school with a 3.9 grade-point average and is doing well in college Im interested to see what life brings down the road for him., Brown said he would like the case to be reinvestigated given his sons overturned conviction. Brown was exonerated by the Supreme Court in . By that point Jordan had already been out of prison for two years awaiting the resolution of his appeal. "Jordan Brown was a fifth-grader in February 2009 when Pennsylvania police arrived to take him away as the sole suspect in the shotgun slaying of his dad's pregnant fiance, Kenzie Houk. Since she was a little girl and in pure shock, the police couldnt interrogate her. Ultimately authorities argued that it was jealousy over his changing family that drove Jordan to murder his soon-to-be stepmom. I'd, like, lose myself in the book. En cliquant sur Accepter tout, vous acceptez que Yahoo et nos partenaires traitent vos informations personnelles et utilisent des technologies telles que les cookies pour afficher des publicits et des contenus personnaliss, et des fins de mesure des publicits et des contenus, dtude des audiences et de dveloppement de produit. https://bit.ly/2IJL4. Houk was engaged to be married to his father, Chris Brown, and 8 and 1/2 months pregnant. While waiting for Jordan to leave the house with her, she told them she heard a boom and identified it to police as the sound of a gun. He believes there was a rush to judgment. Taylor Smith speaks exclusively with "GMA" about the incident that left a fellow teen, Jordan Holgerson, with broken ribs and punctured lungs. "I'm not angry. The blue blanket, which has a quarter-sized hole that appeared to be singed from a shotgun blast, supports a claim that the crime was premeditated, Lawrence County District Attorney John Bongivengo said. Jordan, then a fifth grader, said he didn't understand what he was being accused of. At 3:30 a.m. the next day, the grieving father and son were awakened by police pounding at the door. Dr. Phil tells compelling stories about real people. And with the focus on his son's legal plight, Chris Brown said his grief for the loss of his fiance and their unborn baby had to take a back seat. 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