Introduction
Jordan Brown is a young man from New Beaver, Pennsylvania, who was accused of killing his father’s fiancée when he was 11. After being charged with murder in 2009, he spent eight years in a juvenile prison and went through many trials and appeals (6 ABC, 2018). He did not admit his involvement in the crime and was eventually acquitted by the court in 2018 due to a lack of evidence beyond reasonable doubt (6 ABC, 2018). Despite his acquittal, Brown has repeatedly admitted in interviews that his passage through the court and prison systems led to his PTSD (ABC 6, 2018). At the moment, Brown is trying to catch up, going to college, and hoping to turn his life around. Jordan Brown’s case became an example of cruelty and propensity to punish in the American judicial system.
Family History
Jordan’s family and personal history prior to the assassination are not dramatic or traumatic. Jordan had a strong and loving relationship with his father, Chris Brown. They spent a lot of time together, and Chris spent much time with his son (Sirianni, 2018). Jordan’s mother, Mildred Krause, abandoned him as a child due to some medical condition that the Brown and Krause family members do not disclose (Sirianni, 2018). Somewhat known, Jordan’s environment was supportive – he had a stable home life in a good neighborhood with low crime rates (Sirianni, 2018). No facts from childhood and family history allow us to point to possible motives for such a severe crime as murder.
Court Case
On February 20, 2009, in New Beaver, Pennsylvania, a pregnant Kenzie Marie Houk, the 26-year-old fiancée of Chris Brown, father of Jordan Brown, was murdered in her bed. Jordan was accused of killing Marie Houk by shooting her in the back of the head while she was sleeping (Sirianni, 2018). The police suggested that Giorjan snuck into his father’s room, took his rifle, and shot his future stepmother in front of the school (Sirianni, 2018). The District Attorney’s Office initially requested that 11-year-old Jordan be tried as an adult and sentenced to life in prison (Sirianni, 2018). After three years in pre-trial detention, Pennsylvania courts have decided to treat Jordan Brown’s case as a juvenile case (Doerschner, 2018). Brown was due to serve his sentence in a secure juvenile facility until age 21, but after multiple appeals, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned his conviction (Doerschner, 2018). Evidence of Jordan Brown’s guilt was insufficient, the investigation was conducted negligently, and the shotgun was not confirmed as the murder weapon.
Mental Illness
There is no reason to believe that Jordan Brown had a mental illness before his arrest. All evidence points to the fact that this was an ordinary boy from a reasonably good family. Subsequently, Brown repeatedly said in interviews that he developed PTSD due to the problematic experience (Deutsch, 2018). At the same time, Brown does not disclose any details of the manifestation of the disease and claims that he does not hold a grudge against anyone (Deutsch, 2018). Thus, there is insufficient evidence to paint a picture of his mental health.
Conclusion
The case of Jordan Brown is a complex and revealing example of the problems in the American police and judicial systems. The victim of the incident was not only the murdered Kenzie Marie Houk and her child. The story left a deep imprint on many people’s lives, including Jordan Brown himself, his father, and all his family members. Jordan not only went through a traumatic prison experience and lost more than eight years of his life but also suffered severe social harassment because his case was heard loudly and publicly.
References
6 ABC, Action News. (2018). What Life is Like Now for PA Man Arrested at Age 11 for Pregnant Woman’s Death. Web.
Deutsch, G. (2018). What life is like today for man arrested at age 11 for pregnant future stepmom’s death. whas11.com. Web.
Doerschner, K. (2018). Jordan Brown Case Overturned. Web.
Sirianni, P. (2018). Many victims in the Jordan Brown Case. New Castle News. Web.