HOUSTON, Texas. – Andre Jackson has been sentenced to life in prison, after being found guilty of murder Josué Flores was stabbed in May 2016 when the minor was walking home from school.
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The trial against Jackson began on Monday, April 25, the jury heard testimony from 33 people who were called by the prosecution and defense attorneys.
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After more than two and a half hours of deliberation, on Tuesday, April 3, the jury reached the verdict and found the ex-marine guilty of the murder of Josué Flores that occurred on May 17, 2017.
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“I can’t say much to Joshua”: Andre Jackson
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Minutes before hearing the sentence, Andre Jackson read a letter before Judge Collins where he expressed his feelings about the possibility of spending the rest of his life in jail.
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“I can’t say much to Josué and his family. I’m not sure if they think they have the right man,” Jackson said, alleging that it’s all about being an African-American in America.
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Despite the evidence and the verdict by the jury, the ex-marine defended himself that the DNA on the jacket was not him and, until the last minute, refused to accept his guilt.
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Friends and relatives of Josué Flores spoke
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Before the judge ruled on Wednesday, testimonies were heard from people who knew the victim.
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On the day of the sentence, Mr. Juan Flores went up to testify and explained what his family has gone through during these 6 years.
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“It has been very difficult for me to explain to my other children what happened, since the trial began, now I am satisfied because justice has been done,” he said.
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Josué’s sister also spoke of the pain that the family has experienced: “The tragedy brought a lot of pain, I think about how my brother would have been, how he was taken from us, he did not get to say goodbye, he did not even have that opportunity, he He died alone, we couldn’t be there to hug him,” Lupita narrated through tears.
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Josué’s best friend was also present: “I met him the first day of school, he wanted to be a doctor because he was concerned about humanity. He sometimes brought food, even to give to the animals, he genuinely cared for others, for those in need, “said Angel.
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This was said about Andre Jackson in court before conviction
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Michelle Dorsey, mother of André Jackson, indicated that she served in the US Navy. She described her son as loving and caring,
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Dorsey spoke of the man’s transition from military life, he was depressed. He briefly mentioned Jackson’s post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and added that he thought it was a mistake when he was charged.
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For his part, Darrell Dorsey, stepfather of Andre Jackson, defined the defendant as a loving person, careful with his brothers.
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He described the many medals and awards he received while serving in the US Navy.
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Asked by Judge Collins for his reaction to learning that Jackson had been convicted of the boy’s death, the man replied, “I was disappointed in the system.”
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Who is Andre Jackson, the man who was convicted of Joshua’s death?
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In 2019, new DNA evidence on the jacket linked him back to the case. Reason why the prosecution considered this fundamental element to convict him.
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During the hearing, the testimony of a representative of a DNA specialist laboratory was presented, which was in charge of analyzing the evidence that was extracted from the sleeves of the jacket that Jackson was wearing that day.
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The tests showed as a result that the garment had 85% DNA from Jackson, 10% from Josué and 5% from a person they called ‘unknown’.
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There were seven days of hearings for the murder of Josué Flores
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Throughout the seven days of trial, two workers from Marshall High School were called to testify and it was indicated that the boy had lived with them that day.
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Two Houston police officers, who attended the report on the day of the murder and worked to collect evidence, also testified.
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The forensic doctor who performed Josué’s autopsy confirmed that had received a total of 22 wounds with a sharp weapon, 18 of the deepest wounds, according to the expert, caused damage to the aortic artery, as well as the collapse of his lungs and liver. It was revealed that the death of Josué Flores was slow.
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On the last day, Tuesday, May 3, witnesses heard closing arguments from both sides, prosecutors and the legal team defending Jackson, and after two and a half hours, he was finally found guilty.
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This is how the boy Josué Flores died in Houston
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On May 17, 2016, Josué Flores, 11, was walking home from school when he was stabbed more than 20 times.
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An African-American man, whom authorities initially identified as 31-year-old Che Lajuan Calhoun, was walking on the same sidewalk.
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Calhoun was arrested and released two days later because he was able to prove that he was in another area of the city at the time of the crime.
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On June 4, authorities announced the arrest of former Marine Andre Jackson, suspected of killing the minor.
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Three years later, he was found guilty of the murder.
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How to make a criminal report with Crime Stoppers
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