Why The Accidental Death Of Kendrick Johnson Remains Suspicious To This Day. A sheriff in Valdosta, Georgia, has concluded that there is no evidence of a crime in the January 2013 death of 17-year-old Kendrick Johnson, who was found dead in a rolled-up gym mat at Lowndes . Im feeling hopeful.. Investigatorsdeclined to comment on what's said in theaudio but confirmed theyre now tracking down the individual who allegedly sold the tape to Johnsons mother. The sheriff at the center of the Kendrick Johnson death case says his department has gone through the evidence extensively and found no crime. State medical examiners concluded that. [26] All local Superior Court judges recused themselves from presiding over the case, preventing the lawsuit from being filed and heard in Lowndes County, citing their close proximity to the accused. However,. Kenneth and Jacquelyn Johnson stand next to a banner on their SUV showing their late son, Kendrick Johnson, on Dec. 13, 2013, in Valdosta, Ga. On that tape, you very clearly hear what appears to be a caucasian young male admitting very tearful, very fearful and stating twice that he knows that hes going to get caught,, , a spokesperson for the Johnson family, told, . estimatingthat the reopened investigation could last a minimumof six months. The individual in question could face extortion charges if the recording is phony,Paulk said. Johnsons father, however, admitted that he had no hard evidence to back up any of these claims and the Johnsons had to drop the suit. They soon discover that not only is something wrong, but things go much deeper than they ever imagined. Kendrick Johnson's Family's Quest For Answers Moves To Georgia Capitol", "National Civil Rights Attorney No Longer Involved In Kendrick Johnson Case | Valdosta Today", "Kendrick Johnson family holds rally after filing complaint about missing organs", "Parents of Georgia teen found dead in gym mat sue funeral home", "No Wrongdoing Detected in Kendrick Johnson Funeral Home Probe", "Kendrick Johnson footage released; expert finds it 'highly suspicious', "Rose, Touchton believe no coverup in Johnson case", "Georgia school officials sued in Kendrick Johnson's gym death", "Local, federal investigations into gym mat death continue", "FBI agent, wife file $5 million defamation suit against Ebony.com and crime writer for KJ stories", "Parents File $100 Million Suit in Gym-Mat Death of Georgia Teen Kendrick Johnson", "Second U.S. Attorney in charge of KJ case resigns", "Kendrick Johnson probe: Attorney exits mark shift", "KJ Family Drops $100 Million Wrongful Death Suit | Valdosta Today", "US Justice Department: No criminal charges in gym mat death", "Judge: Parents owe $292,000 for suit in son's gym mat death", "Investigation into death of Georgia teen found in a rolled-up gym mat 8 years ago will be reopened", "Georgia sheriff vows to personally, thoroughly investigate re-opened case of teen found dead in gym mat", "Sheriff reopens Kendrick Johnson case in Valdosta", "A second local investigation into the death of a Georgia teen found in a rolled-up gym mat has closed with no charges filed", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Death_of_Kendrick_Johnson&oldid=1136987199. The Suspicious Death of Kendrick Johnson.Plus many more disturbing stories.The stories in this Episodes are shocking and exhibit human behavior at its absolute worst. Kendrick Johnson, photo from Medium.com Kendrick Johnson was a sports-loving, ball-playing high school student in Valdosta, Georgia until January 11, 2013, when he was found dead in his school's gymnasium. [5] Crump's application to practice law in Georgia representing Johnson's parents was not ruled on, and he withdrew from representing the family and is no longer participating in the case. Policeand eventually the state's RELATED:Body Parts Are Missing: Newly-Released Footage of Kendrick Johnsons Last Moments, the Latest in Troubling Death Investigation. [6] That lawsuit was subsequently withdrawn. Johnson, 17, was found dead in Lowndes High School's gymnasium in January 2013. His family and friends described him as a sweet and quiet boy. Required fields are marked *. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. For the American professional basketball player, see, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, "Lowdes County Incident Report K. Johnson", "Gym mat death: Attorneys call for surveillance video", "Kendrick Johnson Lowndes County High School gym mat death: Lawyers ask for surveillance video", "Gym Mat Death Shocker: Body Stuffed With Newspaper", "Federal prosecutor will look into Kendrick Johnson case", "FBI agent, sons countersue parents of Ga. teen found dead in gym mat", "Defendants Seek Attorney Fees in Dismissed Kendrick Johnson Case", "Kendrick Johnson suit: Feds want to stop evidence collection", "Third autopsy claims foul play in Valdosta gym mat death case", "Kendrick Johnson's parents still searching for answers to their son's death", "Parents of Georgia teen found dead in gym mat rally for inquiry", "Kendrick Johnson investigation: Feds will not file charges", "Who Killed K.J.?! Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Idk why but this case in particular seems to bring out the worst in a lot of true crime podcast hosts. The mysterious death of Kendrick Johnson was initially ruled an accident by law enforcement, but his family was not convinced. [12] The funeral home owner stated that it is standard practice to fill a void in this fashion, and that cotton or sawdust may also be employed for this purpose. Investigators will now comb through 17 boxes of evidence, which were previously sealed. Discovery Company. And now, authorities say they have an audio recording of someone admitting to Johnson's death. In 2013, Johnsons body was found rolled up in a mat inside a Valdosta-area high school gymnasium. On October 31, 2013, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia announced that his office would open a formal review into Johnson's death. [23] It alleged that Johnson was attacked on a bus trip 14 months prior to his death. Top 15 Best True Crime Documentaries To Watch 1. If it is somebody just doing an extortion racket or a terrible hoax its very, very cruel, and of course, if it is a hoax, well deal with it very sternly, Paulk said. We provide you with a list of the top 15 best true crime documentaries that every true crime fan will thoroughly enjoy. VALDOSTA, Ga. - The brothers accused in a civil suit of killing Kendrick Johnson, the Georgia teen found dead inside a rolled-up gym mat in his high school two years ago, are suing Johnson's . Indeed, in 2013, racism in Valdosta, Georgia, was still very much alive. The familys attorney, Chevene King, expressed thatif Kendrick had been white, the case would have been handled differently. S3 Ep 26 "Results" The Kendrick Johnson Investigation - Investigative True Crime Series In this episode Ash and her team head to North Carolina. Unsatisfied with the result of the investigation, they hired an independent autopsy conducted by William R. Anderson with Forensic Dimensions in Heathrow, Florida, on June 15, 2013. For years, however, the teenagers family has insisted the 17-year-old was murdered and that investigators actively worked to stifle the familys pleas for justice. The post Kendrick Johnsons case closed after authorities say no crime found appeared first on TheGrio. However, these things really happen in the world. Thats the craziest lie you could have told. The cameras which faced the mats were unfocussed and skipped around. Do not believe anything that this sheriffs department tells you, Kenneth Johnson said. It alleged that the defendants ignored reports that, previously, Johnson had been repeatedly attacked and harassed by a white student. The Bells father, a former FBI agent, is accused of directing officials to obscure the investigation, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. After Johnson's body was found in the upright, rolled up wrestling mat at Valdosta High School in January, state medical examiners ruled his death accidental. [39] He further stated that two brothers, named in previous legal actions by the Johnsons, are not suspects. [PHOTOS: Images included in Kendrick Johnson death findings report]. On Jan. 11, 2013, the body of 17-year-old Kendrick Johnson, a popular student and promising athlete at Lowndes High School, in Valdosta, Ga., was found rolled up upside down in a . R.I.P Kendrick Johnson Facebook PageKendrick Johnsons casket was unearthed for a second time for a third autopsy. Paulk also claimed a camera in the gymnasium which apparently shows Johnson before his death was realigned 13 months earlier. Johnson was the main "sniper" for the 103 gang, Seely said. The Sheriffs Department asserted that Johnson must have accidentally fallen into the center of the mat while reaching for a sneaker, which he had stored there so as not to have to pay for a locker. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. [17], Johnson's family requested that his body be exhumed for a second time and was granted permission by Valdosta city officials. Kendrick Johnson: Unsolved Crime or Tragic Accident. CNN A second local investigation into the 2013 death of Kendrick Johnson, the Georgia teenager who was found dead in a rolled-up gym mat, has been closed with no charges filed, according to. Investigation into death of Georgia teen found in a rolled-up gym mat 8 years ago will be reopened. In the recently-released report, Paulk scrutinized an amended report that was released two years after the Office of Armed Forces Medical Examiner found in August 2014 that Johnson died of positional asphyxia and listed his death as accidental. [12][16] The funeral home that processed the body following the FBI's autopsy stated that they never received Johnson's internal organs from the coroner; the organs were said to have been "destroyed through natural process" and "discarded by the prosector before the body was sent back to Valdosta," according to the funeral home owner. The sheriff says his office will not be releasing the audio recording at this time. of foul play, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Paulk and his team were able to secure a wealth of evidence from federal authorities, in part thanks to an appeal from Johnsons family in November 2020. This finding further increased the confidence of doubters that this death was an accident. A recordingthat reportedly contains an emotional confession of an individual who may have been involved in the suspicious 2013 death of teenagerKendrick Johnsonin Georgiais now being vetted by authorities, police said this week. The Lowndes County Sheriff's. Tuesday marks 10 years since Kendrick died. Lowndes County is in southern Georgia. Justice denied. We have a good picture of him and a pretty good description. The father of the kid who had a motive is allegedly an FBI Agent, with enough pull to supposedly save his son. TheLowndes County Sheriffs Office reopened Kendricks case last March. Kendrick Johnson's death made national news, not on the day his body was discovered, but in weeks . He died on January 10 in the school's gym. Forensic experts are conducting voice comparison analysis on the speaker captured in the recording. This is how you roll in Valdosta, the dead teens mother, Jaqueline Johnson, said of the Lowndes County Sheriffs new findings. However, Paulk claimed a woman with the Department of Justice and a man performing the autopsies had developed a close relationship with at one point, the woman saying in an email, I had to make him feel like a man so that he would be open to talking.. The states attorney has said that anyone who objectively looks at the case details can only come to one conclusion: this was an accidental death. The photo, in which Kendrick Johnsons face is extremely swollen, almost does not look human. Finding Kendrick Johnson is an interesting true crime documentary. The request, however, was denied, even though the coroner Bill Watson had originally expressed a lack of confidence in the Sheriff Departments handling of the case. The sheriff said he spent 15 months reading every page in that file, but found that they did not show any criminal action whatsoever.. We aint cheering, but we know this is the only path that we can get for justice for Kendrick Johnson, Marcus Coleman said this week. "[18] The Johnson family subsequently filed a civil lawsuit against the funeral home, seeking monetary damages. For the latest true crime and justice news, subscribe to the Crime Stories with Nancy Grace podcast. Johnson's family has rejected officials' determination that Johnson's death was accidental and has accused brothers Brian and Branden Bell of murdering Johnson. [30] After the Justice Department's motion was denied, Johnson's parents dismissed their own wrongful death lawsuit, saying that they hoped to refile it after the conclusion of the federal investigation. [17] A spokesperson for the Secretary of State said that the investigation found that the funeral home "didn't violate any rules. As parents, our hearts are broken, but we are determined to prevent a tragedy of this magnitude from occurring again., In March of last year, the family received an audio clip from a tipster who was paid for the information; in part, the voice said, I was just young and stupid. Kendrick Johnsons case closed after authorities say no crime found, Reports: 3 children dead, 2 wounded in attack at Texas home, Kellyanne Conway, George Conway To Divorce After Decadeslong Marriage: Report, School punished teen girl for working out in sports bra in 100-degree Texas heat, ACLU says, U.S. court won't require FAA to make airplane seat size, spacing rules, 'Extremely dangerous': Spike in illegal crossings at Canada-Vermont border has feds sounding alarm, SoCal in for cool start to weekend, butlight showers make brief return, Scam alert: arrest warrant calls are fake, sheriff's office says, Heidi Klum's husband thinks the couple's dogs might have been poisoned. Though Paulk said the investigation may take up to six months, both he and the Johnson family are optimistic that justice will finally be served. The group is. The description of these brothers closely resembled that of Brian and Brandon Bell, who the magazine claimed had killed Kendrick because of a fight they had had over a year earlier which had escalated. The sheriff said investigators are working to verify the recording and how the individual received the information in order to "follow the chain of custody. But still an accident? Thomas wondered. MATTIE'S CALL: A 9-month-old baby girl was reported missing from the Ellenwood area with a man police say was diagnosed with a mental illness. It seemed possible that if Kendrick was trying to squeeze into the center of the mat, he could have scrunched his shoulders together to make himself narrower. Authorities were tight-lipped about whether the Bell brothers were suspects in Kendrick Johnsons death. He also stated thefuneral home never had Johnsons organs, saying they were discarded by the prosecutor before the body was sent back to Valdosta for burial. The emotions are reflective of one someone who has a burden like hell on their shoulders.. Georgia state law dictates that the coroner be contacted immediately on the discovery of a body, but Watson claimed that he was not notified until six hours later. But you have to wonder. Kendrick Johnson's body was found in a rolled-up gym mat in January. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! A recently-completed investigation found no evidence of a coverup in the 2013 death of Kendrick Johnson, who was found in a rolled-up mat at his Georgia high school. The US Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Ohio declined to comment. In their lawsuit, the parents of the accused boys assert that their sons were not involved in the death, are not considered suspects, and have been harassed as a result of the publication. On that tape, you very clearly hear what appears to be a caucasian young male admitting very tearful, very fearful and stating twice that he knows that hes going to get caught, a family spokespersonsaid. Authorities say they are working to verify an audio recording of someone admitting to Kendrick Johnson's death. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. Were actively hunting for the person that provided it, Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk told Oxygen.com. Your email address will not be published. In November 2013, 290 hours of surveillance tape from 35 cameras that covered the gym area were released to CNN following a court request. "We ain't cheering, but we know this is the only path that we can get for justice for Kendrick Johnson," Marcus Coleman said this week. Kendrick Johnson was a sports-loving, ball-playing high school student in Valdosta, Georgia until January 11, 2013, when he was found dead in his schools gymnasium. Paulk, who was not part of the sheriffs office at the time of Johnsons death, requested the evidence gathered during the federal probe in April 2019 as part of his re-examination of the case, but federal investigators initially declined his request. Local law enforcement was quick to rule it an accident and move on but the family is sure this is a case of murder being covered up. I am quite sure that there will still be a contingent that will believe there was foul play, he wrote. Upon releasing a 16-page synopsis report, sheriff Ashley Paulk told WCTV that he is 100 percent sure there was no foul play based on the federal case documents he reviewed and interviews police conducted with people involved in the initial investigation. And, allegedly the FBI agents son told at least two people that he hit Kendrick on the back of the neck with a 45 pound weight. . It's a shame we can't spend more time making fun of Perkins using his own experience in stat-padding to prove its existence, citing an obviously cherry-picked stat (MVP Magic Johnson finished 18th . Draymond Green and Kendrick Perkins don't know it, but they are the first "openly MAGA" basketball players. The Lowndes County Sheriff's Office closed its initial investigation into Kendrick Johnson's death on May 2, 2013, nearly four months after the 17-year-old was found in the school gym in Valdosta. On top of this, the second autopsy revealed that some of Johnsons organs were missing and in their place, his body had been stuffed with newspaper. [6] That lawsuit was subsequently withdrawn. The Johnson family spoke Thursday in front of the sheriffs department, criticizing the report released Wednesday. The lawsuit alleged that the FBI agent ordered his two sons and a classmate to attack Johnson, that his death was a murder, and that the respondents engaged in a conspiracy to cover up the homicide. Take a look at the list below for all the gory details! The brothers father,Rick Bell, was an FBI special agent who ultimately resignedafter his home was raided and searched for evidence, according to NBC. The U.S. Attorneys Office for the Middle District of Georgia was recused from the investigation many years ago.. [21] The president of the Valdosta-Lowndes County chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the former lead investigator for that chapter have stated that they believe the attorneys for the Johnsons have "not been entirely truthful in their statements" and that there was no cover-up in this case. His sneakers were shoved behind his knees. Many speculate a darker reality. He was never shown within or leaving the gym and indeed, he never did show up for his following classes. Kendrick didnt deserve this., Following public outcry, the Justice Department also investigated Kendricks death in 2013 and closed its case in 2016, finding insufficient evidence to support federal criminal charges., The report from the Lowndes County Sheriffs Office was published by the Valdosta Daily Times newspaper on Wednesday. I do not, he replied. You are not on the team of righteousness., The family is raising $400,000 to benefit the Kendrick Johnson Foundations mission to raise awareness on the need for increased supervision and safety within our public schools. In their GoFundMe page post, Johnson writes, On January 10, 2013, Kendricks life was tragically cut short when he was discovered dead in a rolled-up gym mat, under highly suspicious circumstances., A subsequent autopsy conducted by our forensic pathologist subsequently confirmed our worst nightmare that our sons death was no accident, she continues. We already knew that nothing was going to be done on your watch, she contended. 1 of 2. 2:24 PM EST, Thu January 27, 2022, Justice Dept. Now, the sheriffs have enough evidence in hand to perhaps allow them to solve this mystery once and for all. in Georgiais now being vetted by authorities, police said this week. [37] However, Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk stated that he would not be claiming there was something wrong with the original investigation or that the original investigation's conclusion of an accidental death was wrong. The mat was vertical. Thats the craziest lie you could have told, Johnson said of Paulks probe. The dead teens mother, Jaqueline Johnson, told the TV station she is not surprised by the sheriffs findings. [2][13], After the opinion of the private pathologist was released, Johnson's family stated that they believed Johnson had been murdered. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. Students had also told police that it was common for them to leave their belongings in the mats when they didnt want to pay for a locker. Nearly a decade after Kendrick Johnsons body was found in a high school gymnasium, investigators have announced a new probe into the Black teenagers mysterious death. Johnsons parents were suspicious of the investigation from the beginning. Policeand eventually the states attorneysaid he went headfirst into the mat to get a sneaker at the bottom, and that he died from positional asphyxia when he couldnt get out. As far as the feds were concerned, the case was officially and finally closed. Published on February 1, 2022 08:45 AM. I encourage everyone to study ALL the evidence in this file before forming an opinion.. But Johnsons parents felt that his death was not being taken seriously, in part because of his race, or because a larger cover-up was at play. [21] Other missing footage was the result of the camera's motion-activated function not being triggered. We are cautiously optimistic now.. We already knew what team you were on. An autopsy conducted by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation determined the cause of Johnsons death was accidental positional asphyxia. Thing is, he wasnt just found dead. The next day, a teacher found his body inside one of the rolled-up wrestling mats. Updated [15], Johnson's family filed a legal action to open a coroner's inquest into his death. His parents believe Kendrick was murdered. Furthermore, a whole hour of footage from the gym was missing, right at the time which would have shed light on what happened that day. Investigators, who suspected hed become trapped after attempting to grab a pair of sneakers, ruled his deatha freak accident. Its been eight long years, said Kendrick Johnsons mother, Jacquelyn. Im going through everything myself, Paulk said,estimatingthat the reopened investigation could last a minimumof six months. Just after 24 hours of being found, the investigators ruled Johnsons death an accident. The case was. Though it was quickly ruled an accidental death, Kendrick's family thought something was wrong. Im going through everything myself, Paulk said. Eight years ago, classmates at Lowndes High School in Valdosta found 17-year-old Kendrick Johnsons body inside an upright mat. The initial autopsy revealed that Johnson died due to positional asphyxia or that he suffocated as a result of being stuck upside-down in an enclosed space for an extended period of time. On Jan. 11, 2013, Johnson's body was discovered in a rolled-up gym mat at Lowndes High School. The YSL Case Is Stretching Fulton County's Justice System to Its Breaking Point. Kenneth and Jacquelyn Johnson stand next to a banner on their SUV showing their late son Kendrick, in Valdosta, Ga., in December 2013. The Johnsons did try to sue the funeral home for mishandling their sons body, and perhaps having done so in order to cover up his true cause of death, but this case was dropped. But still an accident? Thomas asked Paulk. A sheriff in Valdosta, Georgia, has concluded that there is no evidence of a crime in the January 2013 death of 17-year-old Kendrick Johnson, who was found dead in a rolled-up gym mat at. It does appear, however, that their quest for answers has only led to more questions. The Johnsons were extorted out of $1,000 for a tape that contains an individual admitting to their involvement, he alleged. A second local investigation into the 2013 death of Kendrick Johnson, the Georgia teenager who was found dead in a rolled-up gym mat, has been closed with no charges filed, according to a report released by Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk. [38] The sheriff also stated he does not consider the case to be a homicide. [7][8][9][10], On January 11, 2013, the body of Kendrick Johnson was discovered in the gymnasium of Lowndes High School in Valdosta, Georgia, found headfirst in the center of a vertical rolled-up wrestling mat. For years, however, the teenager's family has insisted the 17-year-old was murdered and that investigators actively worked to . R.I.P Kendrick Johnson FacebookOne of the coroners reports on Kendrick Johnsons autopsy. Adding to the confusion is the fact that in October 2013, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation told CBS thatJohnsons organs were returned to his body following the autopsy, as per protocol. Johnsons parents finally believed that their sons death was not being taken seriously because of his race. The lawsuit alleged that the defendants were negligent and violated Johnson's constitutional right to equal protection based on race. His mother posted on her Facebook: No mother or father should ever have to bury their child under these circumstances. "If it's a hoax, it's a very, very cruel hoax to do to Mrs. Johnson," he said. Attorneys in Atlanta describe widespread delays and disruptions to other cases as the prosecution of Young Thug . The pathologist concluded his death was not an accident. We have buried kj 3 times and it felt like 3 funerals and i lost him 3 times.. Earlier in March, Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk announced that officials were reopening the investigation and reevaluating the previously-sealed evidence. In June 2016, the Department of Justice announced no charges would be filed against anyone in relation to Kendrick Johnsons death, considering there was insufficient evidence to support federal criminal charges.. [33], On June 20, 2016, the Department of Justice announced that they would not be filing any criminal charges related to Johnson's death, stating, "After extensive investigation into this tragic event, federal investigators determined that there is insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that someone or some group of people willfully violated Kendrick Johnson's civil rights or committed any other prosecutable federal crime. An autopsy conducted by a pathologist who was hired by Johnsons family determined that the cause of death was unexplained, apparent non-accidental, blunt-force trauma to the neck. The police took videotape from the school and could see him entering the gym, but they havent released video that shows anything else. LeBron James is still in the closet, but he will join Green and Perkins as an "America First" hoopster when Bronny James is toiling in a faraway foreign league.MAGA NBA players are annoyed that foreigners are taking over a . According to CNN, funeral director Antonio Harrington claimed the 17-year-olds organs were destroyed through [the] natural process due to the position of his body when he died. After this sad look at the case and death of Kendrick Johnson, read up on another mysterious disappearance, that of Elisa Lam. But those dreams were cut short when his body was found by students entering the gymnasium rolled up in a standing gym mat. You are not on the team of righteousness, Jackie Johnson said.
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