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. [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. His parents believe Kendrick was murdered. From there until now, we feel like this has been a cover-up at a very high level. Authorities say it appears he was trying to reach for a shoe he had left inside the mat before winter break, got stuck and died. The funeral home said that it received the body without organs which it replaced with paper or sawdust as is common practice while embalming. He was never shown within or leaving the gym and indeed, he never did show up for his following classes. The pathologist concluded his death was not an accident. But you have to wonder. VALDOSTA, Ga. The sheriff at the center of the Kendrick Johnson death case says his department has gone through the evidence extensively and found no crime. He was a three-sport athlete and dreamed of playing professional football. News of the re-openedinvestigation was welcomed by Johnsons family. Time stamps between some separate camera systems differed by as much as twenty minutes for the same time period, giving the impression of a gap for portions of the footage where no gap existed. [2][13], After the opinion of the private pathologist was released, Johnson's family stated that they believed Johnson had been murdered. We have a good picture of him and a pretty good description. "They had a recording that they actually purchased from someone who said that it would be valuable as far as saying who possibly had committed the crime and change their situation," Paulk said. [17] A spokesperson for the Secretary of State said that the investigation found that the funeral home "didn't violate any rules. The Valdosta County Sheriff offered half a million dollars of his own money in response to the negative outcry about a recent report released . One of the coroners reports on Kendrick Johnsons autopsy. The Justice Department announced in October 2013 it was opening an investigation into the case and in 2016 said it was closing the case, saying it had found insufficient evidence to support federal criminal charges.. [2] That left a void, which the funeral home filled. 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. We already knew what team you were on. Required fields are marked *. [39] In January 2022, the second investigation was closed with no charges filed. 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. The police took videotape from the school and could see him entering the gym, but they havent released video that shows anything else. But still an accident? Thomas asked Paulk. The latest report addresses several controversial topics at the center of Johnsons death, including the teens autopsy, where his body was found, and cameras located at Lowndes High School. Essential, you asphyxiate (either by suffocation or lack of oxygen) due to the position of your bodya position in which you cant get yourself out. 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. I made a promise to the people Id go through every piece of [evidence].. The three teens were classmates. Tuesday marks 10 years since Kendrick died. The parents asserted that the sons of the FBI agent killed Johnson and used their connections to cover up the investigation. Johnsons parents have said they think their son was killed. 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 Georgia Bureau of Investigations (GBI) claimed that when the body was sent to the funeral home after the first autopsy, Johnsons organs had been put back inside the body. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. But it doesnt look like thats ever going to happen.. Johnson, 17, was found dead in Lowndes High School's gymnasium in January 2013. [38] The sheriff also stated he does not consider the case to be a homicide. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. The suit alleged that Johnson "was violently assaulted, severely injured, suffered great physical pain and mental anguish, and subjected to insult and loss of life" on January 10, 2013. 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. Have you subscribed to the Grio podcasts Dear Culture or Acting Up? Download our newest episodes now!TheGrio is now on Apple TV, Amazon Fire and Roku. [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. He was found rolled up in a gym mat at Lowndes High School the next day. A number of community activists have also spoken out in favor of the forthcoming probe into the Georgia teens death. I encourage everyone to study ALL the evidence in this file before forming an opinion.. The sheriff released a 16-page summary of his investigation on Wednesday including pictures from the Lowndes County gym. A Warner Bros. 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. 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. You didnt find nothing in 17 boxes? "Nobody really cares, Jackie Johnson, the teenagers mother, told WAGA-TV. [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. Not a big deal, perhaps, except, Another student had an issue with Kendrick and had threatened him several times over a girlfriend. "Im treating it like its a brand new case," Paulk said, according to the newspaper. The U.S. Attorneys Office for the Middle District of Georgia was recused from the investigation many years ago.. This is how you roll in Valdosta, the dead teens mother, Jaqueline Johnson, said of the Lowndes County Sheriffs new findings. Nobody wants Kendrick to get justice. 2023 Cable News Network. Forensic experts are conducting voice comparison analysis on the speaker captured in the recording. Idk why but this case in particular seems to bring out the worst in a lot of true crime podcast hosts. This finding further increased the confidence of doubters that this death was an accident. CNNKendrick Johnsons shoe laying in the pool of blood. Did you encounter any technical issues? . But investigators quickly closed their case on the theory that Johnson had simply fallen into the mat while reaching for one of his sneakers. [12] Three students at Lowndes High School told investigators that it was common for some students to store their shoes behind or under the rolled up mats, Johnson was not wearing shoes when he was found. Paulk wrote that he reviewed 17 boxes of files from the FBI, Department of Justice, and local authorities while revisiting this case. 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. "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. 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. In June 2018, Kendrick Johnsons body was exhumed for a second time and a third autopsy was performed. However,. [15], Johnson's family filed a legal action to open a coroner's inquest into his death. Share. 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. 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. Indeed, in 2013, racism in Valdosta, Georgia, was still very much alive. Parents' lawsuit in Georgia gym mat death is dismissed. Ebony.com described the murder of Johnson to have been at the hands of two white brothers, though they did not include names. [21] Other missing footage was the result of the camera's motion-activated function not being triggered. 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. 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.?! 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. 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. Thing is, he wasnt just found dead. In 2018, an independent autopsy indicated signs of foul play in the teen's death, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. [17], Johnson's family requested that his body be exhumed for a second time and was granted permission by Valdosta city officials. Nobody wants Kendrick to get justice. We already knew that nothing was going to be done on your watch. 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. The Grizzlies played in Denver on Friday night and are scheduled to fly to Los Angeles on Saturday . Listen, Im a high school teacher. The Johnsons were extorted out of $1,000 for a tape that contains an individual admitting to their involvement, he alleged. Sheriff says case closed after his investigation finds Kendrick Johnsons death was no crime, Sheriff says recording thought to show proof Kendrick Johnson was murdered, was a cruel hoax. 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 . His mother posted on her Facebook: No mother or father should ever have to bury their child under these circumstances. 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.
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