Initially, an open verdict was recorded for Martin’s death because Mary’s hands
weren’t strong enough to leave a mark on his neck, thus making it hard to
determine evidence of foul play. Still, his death was eventually connected to
Howe's killing and in August Mary and her friend (Norma) were charged with
two counts of manslaughter.
Upon her conviction, her case remained in the public eye. Her own mother even
sold several stories about Mary to the press. Mary’s biographer, Gitta Sereny,
argued that Mary wasn’t to blame for her actions and that they were due to her
mother being “mentally unstable and neglectful” and her stepfather a “petty
criminal”. (Wilson)
She escaped from Moore Court open prison in 1977 and, when detained, lost her
prison privileges for twenty-eight days.
Mary cried as the verdict was read. While Mary Bell was convicted of
manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility Norma’s charges were
acquitted. She was released in 1980 and since then has been protected by a court
order. This court order also protects her daughter. Her daughter was unaware of
her infamous mother’s true identity until reporters discovered where she was
living. Mary became a grandmother in 2009.
Martin Brown’s mother, June, upon hearing the news of Mary’s grandchild
stated that, “A child is a blessing. She took my blessing and left me with grief
for the rest of my life. I hope that when she looks at this child she remembers the
two she murdered. I will never see a grandchild from my son. I hope every time
she looks at this baby she realises what my family are missing out on because of
what she has done”. (Seamark & Sims, 2009)
Jordan Brown
In a case that’s a little different, in February 2009, 11-year-old Jordan Brown
killed his father's fiancée, Kenzie Marie Houk, in Wampum, Pennsylvania. She
was 8 ½ months pregnant at the time.
The Crime
Kenzie was lying in bed and shot in the back of the head with Jordan’s .20-gauge
youth model shotgun. She and her unborn child died. She was shot not long after
Chris Brown, Jordan’s father, left for work. Police arrived on the scene after
Kenzie’s youngest daughter had wandered over to some people trimming trees
and told them that she was afraid her mother was dead. The shotgun used in the
killing was discovered on the path Jordan had used to walk Kenize’s other
daughter to the school bus.
During the trial, prosecutors gave jealousy for the unborn child as a motive.
Kenzie’s family and friends claimed she’d had difficulties with Jordan in the
past. Her brother-in-law, Jason Kraner, stated that “there was an issue with
jealousy” and that Jordan had told his son he wanted to kill Kenzie. (PlushnikMasti, 2011) Kenzie’s father also claimed jealousy on the part of Jordan and,
when asked about a possible motive, replied, “Maybe he was just jealous of my
daughter and the baby and thought he would be overpowered”. (Plushnik-Masti,
2011)
However, Jordan’s father continued to maintain his son’s innocence. Jordan
claimed he’d seen a black truck earlier that morning and that it had acted
suspiciously. For around five hours the police followed this as a false lead. But
when Jordan’s story began to fall apart they again interviewed Kenzie’s 7-yearold daughter and although she didn’t see the shooting, she did see him with the
shotgun earlier that morning and “heard a loud bang”. (Plushnik-Masti, 2011)
For three years, Jordan stayed in a juvenile detention center while deliberation
regarding his case continued. If convicted in adult court, he possibly faced life in
prison. However, he was tried in juvenile court where the sentence was less
severe. Jordan claimed he wasn’t guilty of the crime. In the beginning, Lawrence
County judge, Dominick Motto, refused to move the case to juvenile court. The
judge did not see any evidence that connected someone else to the crimes. He
also agreed with the prosecutors that as long as Brown still refused to confess,
then rehabilitation in juvenile court was unlikely. Amnesty International was
against trying Jordan as an adult, claiming the mandatory life in prison, with no
chance of parole, was a violation of international law.
He was found delinquent on April 13, 2012 for both Kenzie’s death and the
death of her child. An adjudicated juvenile offender cannot be held in custody
past his 21st birthday under Pennsylvania law. He will turn twenty-one in
August 2018.
In an interview, Kenzie’s mother said she continued to cry every day and night
and ask “Why her? Why her? I know you're not supposed to ask why, but how
can you help but not?" She also stated it was a “dirty shame” that Jordan was
being “clothed and fed” while her “daughter and grandson lay in the ground
that's frozen” (WPIX, 2011).
Lionel Tate
Upon his conviction of killing a 6-year-old little girl, Lionel Tate became the
youngest person to be sentenced to life in a U.S. prison. The conviction;
however, was overturned in 2004 by an appellate court. Still, in 2006 he returned
to prison for a probation violation and was sentenced to thirty years.
The Killing
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