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Monday, March 02, 2009
Allen Hunt :: Townhall.com Columnist
The Man-Child Murderer
by Allen Hunt
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At age eleven, in 1975, I sat in a classroom or on a ball field. At the same age today, Jordan Brown sits in a jail cell. Charged an an adult with criminal homicide by the state of Pennsylvania.

Last week, it appears that Jordan tragically shot and killed his father's pregnant live-in girlfriend, Kenzie Marie Houk, while she slept. Houk leaves behind two daughters from a previous relationship. Today, Jordan is dazed and bewildered in the aftermath of this horrific tragedy. Police say he used a 20 gauge shotgun to murder Houk and her unborn child.

After the murder, Jordan got on a school bus with one of Houk's daughters and promptly went to school. Today, he simply wants to be able to go home. Instead, he sits alone in an adult jail, separated from the rest of the incarcerated adults for his own protection. The law requires juveniles charged as adults to be housed in adult facilities. The jail warden says, "I think even for an adult, for the first time, it's probably a frightening experience." Jordan Brown is 11 years old. Until last week, he was in fifth grade.

Lawrence County District Attorney, John Bongivengo, believes the murder was premeditated, so he has chosen to charge Jordan as an adult. In Pennsylvania, a juvenile cannot be charged with criminal homicide; only adults can. Consequently, Pennsylvania leads the United States in juveniles serving life sentences, with 444. Pennsylvania “lifers,” who committed their crimes as juveniles and are now serving life sentences, account for 20% of all such inmates in the country. Jordan may well be number 445. And that is wrong.

Bongivengo rightly wants to bring justice in this case. It is, after all, a heinous crime. What Bongivengo lacks is prudence.

Aquinas wrote that prudence is “love choosing wisely between what is helpful and what is harmful.” Charging an 11-year old boy as an adult can hardly be classified as helpful.

Did Jordan behave like an adult in murdering Kenzie Marie Houk? Probably so.

Is any 11-year old boy capable of thinking, reasoning, or making decisions like an adult? Absolutely not.

In this tragedy, Bongivengo and the state of Pennsylvania somehow need to find a way to balance justice and punishment, with mercy and compassion. Evidently, the state of Pennsylvania needs to find a way to accomplish that in a number of cases. Housing 20% of America's juveniles who are serving life sentences would indicate to most reasonable people that perhaps there is a problem in Pennsylvania. One lesson is clear: if you commit a crime as a juvenile, it is best not to do so in Pennsylvania. Continued...
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About The Author
Allen Hunt is the host of the natioanlly syndicated talk radio program, the Allen Hunt show.
 
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(37 comments so Far)
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Reply # 1
Date: Mar 5, 2009 - 8:16 AM EST
Hmmm
Hunt thinks prison can rehabilitate Jordan. Look at recidivism rates. Some want to execute Jordan because they are afraid of him. Some want to study him like a lab rat for their thesis and possibly future book deals. Some want to promote their personal gun rights agenda. Who wants to face reality and deal with this killer for his own good? He was a child, now he is a killer. He has crossed a threshold of self-restraint. He was either unwilling or unable or both to restrain himself from the thought of killing and now he has acted on this established thought. He came to believe that he had the right to kill and he did. So now his actions affect everyone. Nothing brings a change of heart and mind quite like the impending end to ones own physical life. If he will change, his own impending death will induce change. If he will not change, no other form of punishment will be of any consequence. But this is not solely about Jordan. It is also about his family, friends and society. If there is no punishment equal to the crime, why should any of us change our behavior? Jordan stopped being a child when he pulled the trigger. Jordan stopped being held accountable a long time ago and it has brought us all to this day.
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Reply # 2
Date: Mar 4, 2009 - 7:49 AM EST
reff - On blaming the ''Liberals''
--
A good point is made by reff:

"Since liberal politics doesn't want guns, and doesn't want gun safety taught, then blame the liberals...."

...and:

"Because you [Mr. Hunt] don't think he can be held responsible at age 11, then he can never be held responsible...."



There's good reason to lay this episode at the feet of the "Liberals."

As reff observers, they do NOT want children taught gun safety. Indeed, they don't want private citizens of any age to be allowed the acquisition, ownership, carriage, or use of firearms in any way whatsoever.

The "Liberal" opinion of us common folk is that we can NEVER be held responsible. Not for anything.

Except, of course, paying the taxes levied upon us by "Liberal" politicians.

Or daring to acquire, own, carry, or use firearms.

If we don't pay our taxes or give up our firearms, we're criminals.

Bad citizen! No universal healthcare for you!

You have to think of Jordan Brown as the archetype of what the "Liberals" want every American child - and adult - to be.

Morally incompetent (which isn't the same as morally evil, mind you), mentally inadequate, and ever-so-perfectly "socialized."

Remember, right after blowing away his father's live-in girlfriend, he got on the bus like a good little boy -

- and went to school.


A poster child for "public education."

--
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