PA - Kenzie Houk, 26, pregnant, murdered, Wampum, 20 Feb 2009

[oceanblueeyes]

Common sense has finally prevailed! He will be tried in juvenile court!!!!

http://www.ncnewsonline.com/topstories/x1699203693/Jordan-Brown-case-heads-to-juvenile-court

I am sure that is no solace to the Houk family.

IMO

 

[passionflower]

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11235/1169318-100.stm?cmpid=latest.xml
another article

 

[Fairy1]

I am sure that is no solace to the Houk family.

IMO

There will be no solace for the Houk family, regardless.

This boy was a child when the crime occurred. Locking him up forever will not bring the victims back.

I would prefer not to see the justice system twisted to fit the crime; as heinous as it was.

 

[UdbCrzy2]

I cannot imagine the family of the boy who murdered the pregnant woman being able to feel comfortable around him after this. I know I wouldn't feel very relaxed as I tried to fall asleep at night when he gets out.

 

[jjenny]

He will get out soon enough. The most he could get in juvenile system is they can keep him until he is 21.

 

[Fairy1]

I cannot imagine the family of the boy who murdered the pregnant woman being able to feel comfortable around him after this. I know I wouldn't feel very relaxed as I tried to fall asleep at night when he gets out.

Well, you will not need to worry about that and neither will the family of the victims.

First of all, there was another who should have been under suspicion from day one, but never was.

No matter what, the accused was an 11-year-old CHILD who may or may not have been the killer. Aside from the fact that this was a child, NO other avenues were explored. Ever.

 

[trofanji]

I cannot imagine the family of the boy who murdered the pregnant woman being able to feel comfortable around him after this. I know I wouldn't feel very relaxed as I tried to fall asleep at night when he gets out.

There is absolutely no prove that he did it

imo

 

[oceanblueeyes]

There will be no solace for the Houk family, regardless.

This boy was a child when the crime occurred. Locking him up forever will not bring the victims back.

I would prefer not to see the justice system twisted to fit the crime; as heinous as it was.

They would certainly have more solace if the punishment fit the crimes, imo.

I would prefer that these children who coldly murder be tried in another type of court system but at this time one doesn't exist.

Imo, the juvenile justice system wasn't established to handle hard core criminals who commit murder(s), rapes or armed robberies.

Maybe one day another type of court system will be established to deal with these type of criminals. Often juvenile judges comment in court these type of criminals really do not belong in the juvenile system.

Maybe another type of court that doesn't allow these killers to get out by the time they are 18 or 21.

IMO

 

[UdbCrzy2]

I wonder if the did a gunshot residue test on him?

I haven't been following this case, but have heard of this kind of thing happening often, sometimes they shoot their sister/brother or friend even children younger than this.

 

[UdbCrzy2]

There is absolutely no prove that he did it

imo

Have they had a preliminary hearing or grand jury hearing yet?

That's where the prosecutor presents evidence that a felony has been committed and then it goes to a district court if the Judge thinks so.

I see from the article above that he has an attorney.

 

[trofanji]

another new's article

http://www.ncnewsonline.com/current/x2122765110/Jordan-Brown-s-case-going-to-juvenile-court

 

[joe jones]

good decision, at 11 he is far too young to be tried in adult court

 

[Lovejac]

I love this picture of Kenzie with her daughters

 

[Velouria]

Thanks for remembering the victims, Lovejac. :thumb:

 

[UdbCrzy2]

The double-murder case involving a western Pennsylvania boy who was 11 when charged with killing his father's pregnant fiancée and unborn child has prompted one landmark appeals court opinion and may result in another, as three newspapers fight a judge's order closing the boy's juvenile court trial to the public.

The Superior Court on Monday agreed to delay the trial, which had been scheduled for Tuesday, until the court can hear emergency appeals to open the proceeding.

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and New Castle News filed the appeals, and lawyers have 62 days to submit other documents before the court assigns a three-judge panel to hear the request.

http://www.timesonline.com/news/sta...cle_9f060f2d-2f69-524c-ac22-def082028c9b.html

 

[Fairy1]

The double-murder case involving a western Pennsylvania boy who was 11 when charged with killing his father's pregnant fiancée and unborn child has prompted one landmark appeals court opinion and may result in another, as three newspapers fight a judge's order closing the boy's juvenile court trial to the public.

The Superior Court on Monday agreed to delay the trial, which had been scheduled for Tuesday, until the court can hear emergency appeals to open the proceeding.

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and New Castle News filed the appeals, and lawyers have 62 days to submit other documents before the court assigns a three-judge panel to hear the request.

http://www.timesonline.com/news/sta...cle_9f060f2d-2f69-524c-ac22-def082028c9b.html

The trial should be closed to the public and, in fact, the boy's name and photo should never have been released until all of this was settled. HE WAS 11-years-old FGS. He was and is a child.

 

[joe jones]

hie identity should be protected, but the trial should not be closed, they could work out a way of not revealing his name but allowing the media to attend and report on the trial,

many witnesses identities have been protected during trials, so it should be possible to protect this child's identity

 

[Fairy1]

hie identity should be protected, but the trial should not be closed, they could work out a way of not revealing his name but allowing the media to attend and report on the trial,

many witnesses identities have been protected during trials, so it should be possible to protect this child's identity

It's too late to protect his identity - his name and photo were released early on in this case.

I am not clear about media coverage of a trial that is closed to the public. Are the media considered the public?

 

[UdbCrzy2]

Usually juvenile court is not open to the public. Depending on the state's victims rights laws it is possible that the homicide survivors/victims are able to attend all hearings or court when a juvenile is involved. I don't think the media would be able to attend.

 

[log1c_cat]

Never heard of this case before today. Came across this FB page, "Kenzie Houk Murder truth":

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kenzie-Houk-Murder-truth/196594867062891?sk=wall

These are listed on the page:

Forensic science proves the accused was covered in gun shot residue with a concentration on his right shoulder. New Castle News 3/25/09

The accused's grandmother picked him up from school after the murder. A warrent was issued for the clothes of the accused. The wrong clothes were given to police. The actual clothes worn by the accused durring the murder were found hidden in his grandmothers laundry room. testimony of trooper Wilson 3/24/09

There are several more entries, but those stood out for me.