shirley - levon brooks 2024

LaVon Brooks, an African-American man, was wrongfully convicted of a child's murder in Mississippi in 1990. He was implicated due to his relationship with the victim's mother and faulty DNA evidence. Another similar crime occurred, leading to the conviction of Kennedy Brewer in 1995. The Innocence Project later found DNA evidence clearing Brewer and implicating Justin Albert Johnson. After Johnson confessed to both murders, Brooks and Brewer were freed in 2008. Brooks lost 18 years of his life due to racial bias in the justice system. The case highlights issues with eyewitness testimony and mandatory minimum sentences in the US. Good morning. Welcome to another episode of Echoes of Injustices, where we dig deep into remarkable stories of individuals who have faced wrongful convictions. Today, we will explore the case of LaVon Brooks, a tale that outlines and exposes the flaws in the justice system. LaVon Brooks, an African-American Mississippi resident, found himself entangled in a nightmare that would last for more than two decades. It was September 5, 1990, when a three-year-old by the name of Courtney Smith was abducted from her home in Brooksville, Mississippi. Her body was found two days later in a pond about 80 yards from her house, showing numerous signs of being raped and brutally handled. LaVon Brooks had become the main suspect as a result of having close relations with the victim's mom. He was then convicted on the 20th of January, 1992, for capital murder and sexual battery for a crime he didn't even commit, due to faulty implications of the DNA system during that time period. Just four months after that case, another girl was abducted, raped, and killed in the same city. It was the same scenario, a three-year-old girl taken from her home at night, raped, and then found in the creek. There were more similarities between this case and Brooks's, including bite marks found on the victim's body, and abduction at night. Soon, Kennedy Brewer, having close relations with the victim's mother, was convicted in 1995 and sentenced to death. In 2001, the Innocence Project became involved in Brewer's case. They found DNA investigating more. About six years later, a new trial for Brewer was awaiting. Justin Albert Johnson has become the new suspect for Brewer's case. After many long investigations and interviews, Johnson admitted to committing both murders. Following his confession, LaVon Brooks and Kennedy Brewer were both freed on February 15, 2008. LaVon Brooks was officially cleared on March 13, 2008. LaVon Brooks did get his name cleared at the age of 48. However, he lost 18 years of his life, starting at the age of 30 in 1990. Similarly, LaVon Brooks's case was very much like Walter McMillan's case. Both were only accused due to the impact of racial bias in the criminal justice system, despite a lack of solid, concrete evidence. Speaking of such evidence, there are a lot of shortcomings of the U.S. judicial system that I have learned, such as misidentifications with eyewitnesses' testimonies and having a military minimum sentence. However, these issues will take years to justify and change to the better.