A sterling heights woman is preparing for the retrial of a man who is currently serving life in prison without parole for the murder of her mother.
It was September of 2006 when Evangeline Doen dropped her daughter, Gina Doen, and granddaughter off at a Shelby Township laundromat. Prosecutors say while Gina was inside, Joseph Hendrix carjacked her mother, throwing Evangeline to the ground. Evangeline hit her head on the ground and she died ten days later in the hospital.
The sight of Evangeline bleeding in the parking lot is something Gina will never forget.
“I was the one that grabbed her... I was the one that picked her up and as I held her head and asked her if she knew who she was and where she was,” Gina said.
Hendrix was convicted and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Gina thought justice was served until she got a letter in the mail letting her know Hendrix has been granted a new trial.
"The prosecution should not have admitted Hendrix's Sept. 8, 2006 statements to the police after he had requested an attorney,” the letter read.
The letter also stated Hendrix’s attorney should have objected to allowing those statements in the trial.
A federal judge has granted Hendrix a new trial, which means Gina will have to face Hendrix again.
“Mentally preparing for it, I don’t think I am going to be prepared for it. I think I am strong enough,” Gina said. “We all have to show him that he destroyed a family.”
A pretrial conference is scheduled for Hendrix on Aug. 8.
