Losing Jon: A Teen’s Tragic Death, a Police Cover-Up, a Community’s Fight for Justice

Parrish debuts with a riveting personal story about a tragic death. In January of 1990, the Howard County, Md., police raided a teenage party at a rural Red Roof Inn. According to the teens, two officers beat up and arrested twins Jon and Mickey Bowie for no reason. In May of that year, Jon Bowie was founded hanged at his school, after having filed charges against the officers and claiming that one of them was harassing him. The police insist it was a suicide, but much of the town disagreed. Parrish, who had coached Jon in baseball, recounts the lawsuits, the cover-up, and the amazing response from the community that followed. He himself set up a town hall meeting, made up petitions for state police intervention, and worked closely with Jon’s mother to find answers. Eventually, procedural violations were filed against the officers, but they stayed on the force until retiring years later. The lawsuit the Bowies filed against the county for the excessive force used when the twins were arrested was finally settled for $6 million. This account of a frustrating fight for justice should resonate with many true crime buffs. Agent: Rachel Cone-Gorham, RXD Agency. (May)