After deliberating in a Pittsburgh courtroom for part of Wednesday and Thursday, a jury issued a verdict finding that police did not violate Jordan Brown's constitutional rights when they charged him with murdering his father's girlfriend fifteen years ago in Lawrence County.

The jury handed up the verdict clearing former Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner Frank Pawlowski and Troopers Janice Wilson, Jeffrey Martin, Robert McGraw (now deceased), and Troy Steinhauser, who investigated the crime. 

Brown, now 27, was only 11 years old in February 2009 when he was charged with the shotgun death of 26-year-old Kenzie Houk and her unborn son at their home in Wampum, Pennsylvania.

Houk’s body was found in the home after Jordan had left for school. Police concluded that the 11-year-old used his shotgun to shoot Houk in the back of the head.

The civil trial centered around Brown’s conviction for the murder, which the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned after more than nine years of being held in detention.

Brown's attorneys claimed their client suffered fear, humiliation, and mental anguish.

Jordan Brown (Age 11)
Jordan Brown (Age 11)  

 

The lawsuit alleged that Brown was prosecuted with malice and without probable cause, and was based on fabricated evidence.

On July 28, 2018, Jordan was exonerated by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court which concluded that the evidence introduced at his trial was insufficient to establish his conviction beyond a reasonable doubt.