KENDRICK JOHNSON: SHERIFF SAYS INVESTIGATION INTO GEORGIA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETE'S DEATH A 'WITCH HUNT' The investigative synopsis states classmates found Johnson. Attorneys for the Johnson family expressed fears that the camera footage was edited as part of a cover-up. I will fight as long as I have to, to uncover what happened to Kendrick Johnson.. 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. I do find it disturbing and unethical that this investigation seemed to turn into a witch hunt after the FBI told the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia that they had found nothing criminal, and they consequently were closing the case, Paulk wrote in the synopsis. The lawsuit further alleged that another student, Brian Bell, "had a history of provoking and attacking" Johnson at school, stating that the provocations took place "in the presence of the coaching staff and employees" after his mother complained about previous attacks. 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. All rights reserved, Privacy Policy|Online Content Agreement, Third Autopsy shows Kendrick Johnson Suffered blunt Force Trauma, Positional Asphyxia: Death due to Unusual Head-Down Position in a Narrow Space, Kendrick Johnson lawsuit: Feds want attorneys to stop collecting evidence, Parents of Georgia teen found dead in gym mate rally for inquiry, National civil right attorney no longer involved in Kenrick Johnson case, Kendrick Johnson family hold rally after filing complaint about missing organs, No wrong doing detected in Kendrick Johnson funeral home probe, Kendrick Johnson footage released; expert find it highly suspicious, KJ family drops $100 million wrongful death suit, Local, federal investigations into gym mat death continue. County authorities are currently combing through a trove of boxes of evidence, including computer hard drives, documents, and other files relevant to the investigation. Do not believe anything that this sheriffs department tells you, Kenneth Johnson said. Top 15 Best True Crime Documentaries To Watch 1. As he was upside down, blood would have rushed to Johnsons head and he eventually would have begun to bleed from his facial orifices. 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. I encourage everyone to study ALL the evidence in this file before forming an opinion.. Paulk called the teenagers death a weird accident, telling CNN, there is nothing to substantiate a homicide.. On January 11 in Lowndes High School in Valdosta, Georgia, 17-year-old Kendrick Johnson was found dead, rolled up inside a large gym mat. 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. Idk why but this case in particular seems to bring out the worst in a lot of true crime podcast hosts. [2][13], After the opinion of the private pathologist was released, Johnson's family stated that they believed Johnson had been murdered. They believed that the Sheriffs Department wastoo quick to rule out foul play as a cause for Johnsons death, considering that within 24 hours of finding Kendrick Johnsons body, they concluded that it was an accident. They were sued for more than $850,000 in attorney fees and more than one million in defamation charges. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. 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. [26] Jim Elliott, the Lowndes County Attorney, stated that the allegations were "unfounded" and "baseless" and that any response would be made in court. Why The Accidental Death Of Kendrick Johnson Remains Suspicious To This Day. On June 20, 2016, the Department of Justice announced that it would not be filing any criminal charges related to Johnson's death. in Georgiais now being vetted by authorities, police said this week. [14] On October 31, 2013, U.S. Attorney Michael J. Moore announced that his office would open a formal review into Johnson's death. 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.?! Discovery Company. Allegedly they were in an altercation on a school bus prior to Kendricks death. The Lowndes County Sheriff's. Were actively hunting for the person that provided it, Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk told Oxygen.com. Seventeen-year-old Kendrick Johnsons body was inexplicably found upside-down in a rolled-up gym mat in 2013. In 2015, the Johnsons filed a $100 million civil lawsuit against 38 people, including three of their sons classmates, the school, the local crime lab, state and federal officials, five agents of the GBI, an FBI agent, and more. 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. Tweet. They were ultimately ordered by a judge to pay close to $300,000 worth of lawyers fees to those they had accused with no evidence. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. When the judge in that case delayed a decision, pending the outcome of the U.S. Attorney's review, the family demanded that the governor of Georgia immediately authorize the inquiry instead. Attorney. It is a case that has stumped and enraged millions of people around the world. Finally, in March 2021, authorities reopened their investigation into 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. And now, authorities say they have an audio recording of someone admitting to Johnson's death. However, Johnsons parents say classmates killed their son and law enforcement and school officials covered up the crime. The family, together with the NAACP and other civil rights activists, then held a rally at the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta. Download the FOX 5 Atlanta appfor breaking news and weather alerts. We already knew that nothing was going to be done on your watch. You do not believe there was anything criminal? reporter Tony Thomas asked Paulk. 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, Marcus Coleman, a spokesperson for the Johnson family, told Oxygen.com. Johnson's family didn't accept the. Valdosta, Georgia CNN For the local sheriff's department, the death of 17-year-old Kendrick Johnson is a closed book: A tragedy, but an accident. I encourage everyone to study ALL the evidence in this file before forming an opinion.. The lawsuit alleged that the defendants were negligent and violated Johnson's constitutional right to equal protection based on race. Body Parts Are Missing: Newly-Released Footage of Kendrick Johnsons Last Moments, the Latest in Troubling Death Investigation, Rick Bell, was an FBI special agent who ultimately resigned, Johnsons organs were returned to his body following the autopsy, subscribe to the Crime Stories with Nancy Grace podcast. Respondents include three of Johnson's classmates (two or three respondents are unnamed) and local, state, and federal officials: the school superintendent of Lowndes County, the Valdosta-Lowndes crime lab, the police chief of Valdosta, many sheriff's deputies, the city of Valdosta, the state medical examiner, the GBI and five of its agents, and one FBI agent. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! "[11] Johnson's family questioned this hypothesis. But investigators quickly closed their case on the theory that Johnson had simply fallen into the mat while reaching for one of his sneakers. [17], Johnson's family requested that his body be exhumed for a second time and was granted permission by Valdosta city officials. 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. VALDOSTA, Ga. - A Georgia sheriff says his office has received new information in the death investigation ofa Valdosta teenager whose body was found at school inside a rolled-up gym mat. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! The Johnsons hoped for a coroners inquest, which would begin the process ofreclassifying the cause of Kendrick Johnsons death as non-accidental and reopening the investigation. 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. When Johnson was exhumed for the first independent autopsy in June 2013, it was discovered that every organ from his pelvis to his skull, including his brain, heart, lungs, and liver, was gone and replaced with newspaper. That material included grand jury testimony, results from an autopsy conducted by federal authorities and additional digital evidence. This is how you roll in Valdosta, the dead teens mother, Jaqueline Johnson, said of the Lowndes County Sheriffs new findings. 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. "This week we are trying Kendrick Johnson as the shooter, the organizer and the planner of Delindsey Mack's murder," she told . Months after his death, Lowndes County Sheriffs Office investigators ruled it was an accident and closed the case. Updated [21] The area where Johnson's body was discovered, where the gym mats were stored, was outside the range of all of the surveillance cameras. They purchased this from an individual and he did not give them his true name. Kendrick Johnson's body was found in a rolled-up gym mat in January. It alleged that the defendants ignored reports that, previously, Johnson had been repeatedly attacked and harassed by a white student. They also reported that the blood had likely been there for a long time. Kenneth and Jacquelyn Johnson stand next to a banner on their SUV showing their late son Kendrick, in Valdosta, Ga., in December 2013. [38] The sheriff also stated he does not consider the case to be a homicide. The recording hasnt yet been made public. Jaqueline Johnson said she doesnt trust local authorities and wants federal investigators to take another look at what happened to her son here nine years ago. However, these things really happen in the world. Indeed, when the mat was first unrolled, Johnson did have one arm stretched above his head and the other down around his waist as though struggling for his shoe. Authorities were tight-lipped about whether the Bell brothers were suspects in Kendrick Johnsons death. 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. [21] Other missing footage was the result of the camera's motion-activated function not being triggered. [6] That lawsuit was subsequently withdrawn. A hoodie and a pair of orange and black gym shoes were also found lying on the floor of the gym, as well as traces of blood on the wall nearby. Investigators ruled it an accident but his family and other people nationwide believe he was murdered. A number of community activists have also spoken out in favor of the forthcoming probe into the Georgia teens death. Download theGrio today! The mysterious death of Kendrick Johnson was initially ruled an accident by law enforcement, but his family was not convinced. In 2013, Johnsons body was found rolled up in a mat inside a Valdosta-area high school gymnasium. Lowndes County is in southern Georgia. On January 11, 2013, the body of 17-year-old Kendrick Johnson was found in the most unusual of circumstances: upside-down and rolled up in a school gym mat. The YSL Case Is Stretching Fulton County's Justice System to Its Breaking Point. S3 Ep 26 "Results" The Kendrick Johnson Investigation - Investigative True Crime Series In this episode Ash and her team head to North Carolina. Johnson's head was pointed toward the floor in the. Theyre not going to uncover something that they covered up., Kendrick Johnson investigation: Feds will not file charges, I am quite sure that there will still be a contingent that will believe there was foul play, the sheriff wrote in the report. A Warner Bros. [12][16] Johnson's family filed a complaint with a regulatory body against the funeral home operator. Video shows him walking into the Lowndes High gym on Jan. 10, 2013. On January 11, 2013, the body of 17-year-old Kendrick Johnson was found in the most unusual of circumstances: upside-down and rolled up in a school gym mat. True Crime Mysteries- episodes 1 de Manual Einstein en Libreras Gandhi . As a result of this new evidence, Matthew Moore, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, announced a formal review of the case. CNN has not independently inspected all the evidence that the sheriff reviewed. 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 .
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