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February 3, 2010

Boy�s hearing to resume March 12

A hearing to determine the status of a 12-year-old homicide suspect is scheduled to conclude in March.

Last week�s hearing for Jordan Brown, charged with two counts of homicide in the shooting death of Kenzie Houk and her unborn son, was continued to allow the prosecution time to have an expert examine the boy.

The hearing will resume at 9:30 a.m. March 12 in Lawrence County Common Pleas Court.

The purpose of the hearing is to determine whether or not Jordan�s case will be transferred to juvenile court. Under Pennsylvania law, anyone 10 or older who is accused of homicide is charged as an adult. His attorneys have asked the court to transfer the case to the juvenile justice system.

Jordan was 11 at the time of the shooting in the New Beaver Borough home he and his father, Christopher, shared with Houk and her two daughters. Christopher Brown and Houk were engaged to be married, and Houk was a few weeks away from giving birth to a son.

The 26-year-ol was killed by a single shotgun blast to her head as she lay in bed. A psychologist who examined Jordan said at last week�s hearing that the boy has denied the shooting.

However, prosecutors claim Houk�s older daughter hasa said she saw Jordan with a shotgun the morning of the killing and heard a gunshot.

Anthony Krastek, senior deputy attorney general, is prosecuting the case. Lawrence County�s new district attorney, Joshua Lamancusa, had to turn those duties over to the state after it was determined he had a conflict of interest.

While in private practice, Lamancusa said, he had provided Christopher Brown with legal advice.

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