Kansas City News Blog

Photo by Angela C. Bond

Keith Brown

Keith Brown worked tirelessly from 2005 to 2007 to see his son Jawanza acquitted of murder charges in April 2007. But just eight months after a Jackson County jury read the words "not guilty" and Jawanza danced down the courtroom's hall, 19-year-old Jawanza was back in handcuffs, accused of a new shooting. 

He opened fire on two men who'd honked at him from a car on the 2600 block of East 11th Street, according to the details of a trial that wrapped up yesterday. The men, plus a witness, testified that Jawanza was the one who shot them, hitting one man in the chest, the other in the mouth, shoulder and back.

Jawanza Brown

A jury sentenced Jawanza to a total of 36 years for the assault and armed-criminal-action charges. He'd faced prosecutor Teresa Moore, the same prosecutor who'd tried unsuccessfully to convince a jury to convict Jawanza of killing two boys after a basketball game in 2005.

I have a confession: Back in 2007, when I wrote this story, I felt for Jawanza's dad, Keith, who was trying so hard to prove his son's innocence. When Jawanza was acquitted, I thought justice had been served. More and more, I can't help but think that I was wrong -- and that Keith Brown was even more wrong.

I called Keith Brown at Genesis School, the charter school where he works doing outreach to enroll kids who have dropped out. I'd barely spoken the last syllable of my name when Keith interrupted me. "Oh, no, I'm not gonna talk to you about this!" and hung up the phone.