Suicide Or Murder? You Be The Judge
Posted by Michelle Moquin on February 9th, 2009
Want to play Jr. Investigator? This letter came across my plate yesterday and I thought that it was worthy of writing about today. I found the story to be very interesting and I suspect as many others do, that this was a racial crime and suicide is far from the truth. But you be the judge. Read the stories, organize the facts, and give your support.
On December 8th, 17-year-old Billey Joe Johnson died from a gunshot wound to the head. Police say he killed himself with a shotgun after being stopped for a simple traffic violation in Lucedale, Mississippi. (1) Several things seem to cast doubt on the official story, including an independent investigation that concluded it would have been impossible for the shot that killed Johnson to have been self-inflicted.
Many on the ground smell a murder and a cover-up. We don’t have all the answers, but it’s clear that in the racially divided town of Lucedale, all the ingredients exist for a miscarriage of justice.
Your voice can help ensure that the District Attorney feels the presence of a national spotlight when he presents his findings to a grand jury on Monday. Let him know that anything short of a thorough investigation will result in massive attention and a call for outside intervention.
Can you lend your voice to demand justice for Billey Joe?
From the beginning, the District Attorney has treated the investigation of Billey Joe’s death as a suicide or the result of an accidental self-inflicted injury. Based on his public statements and interactions with Billey Joe’s family, it appears that the District Attorney hasn’t looked into whether Billey Joe was killed by an officer or someone else. Again, we don’t have all the answers, but here’s what we do know:
- Billey Joe was at his former girlfriend’s house minutes before the killing. (2) He never entered the house, but police were called to respond to an attempted burglary there. (3)This fact was not a part of the original story given by the police.
- Billey Joe’s family says that his ex-girlfriend had been staying at her father’s house because her mother threw her out for dating Billey Joe (she is White and Billey Joe was Black). They said Billey Joe knew to only go to the house when the girl’s father was not present, that the two of them were on good terms even after they had broken up, and that the breakup was largely because of pressure from her father. The family also claims that there is a relationship between the officer present at the scene of Billey Joe’s death and the girl’s father.
- A witness heard two shots, not one, at the scene where Billey Joe died, according to an independent investigation launched by the Mississippi NAACP. The pathologist in that investigation has indicated that it would be impossible for a bullet from a self-inflicted shot to enter in the manner that it did. He also said that given the length of Billey Joe’s arms and the length of the shotgun, it would have been impossible for him to hold the weapon and fire it at himself.
- Billey Joe was a star athlete with scholarship offers from more than half a dozen schools. No one–including family, friends, and coaches–could think of a reason that Billey Joe would want to end his life.(4,5,6)
A true investigation would sort out fact from rumor. But we can’t be sure that Johnson’s family will get the investigation it deserves. In the case of the Jena 6 we saw a District Attorney and a judge incapable of carrying out justice in a racially charged environment. In the recent case of the murder of Oscar Grant by police (and many like it), we see how unlikely it is for District Attorneys to do their job when the suspect is an officer of the law. But in both these cases, public pressure has made all the difference by shining a spotlight on local authorities.
In the case of Billey Joe Johnson, we’re looking for the truth and for justice. A minute of your time can help ensure his family gets both. Click on Color of Change.
Thanks and Peace,
– James, Gabriel, Clarissa, William, Dani, and the rest of the ColorOfChange.org team
February 6th, 2009
References:
1. “Mississippi family looks for answers in son’s death,” USA Today, 12-22-08
2. “Autopsy not completed in football star’s death,” The Sun Herald, 1-06-09
3. Police report and radio logs detailing events leading up to Johnson’s death, posted on WKRG-TV website.
4. “CNN Newsroom: Mystery Death in Mississippi,” CNN, 12-17-08
5. “Mississippi running back Billey Joe Johnson, Jr. ran for 1,559 yards and 24 touchdowns before his death in December,” Collin Mickle-Press-Register, 1-11-09
6. “Player’s death report leaves many puzzled,” The Sun Herald, 12-21-08
Readers: Are any of you familiar with this story? Any of you from the town that Billey lived? Share if you know anything - Blog me your thoughts. And if nothing more, participate. This family is asking for help.
As always I enjoy hearing from you on any subject.
************
Floyd: Now, you are a man thinking logically with the big head. (tee hee hee :) Thanks for the suggestion.
Hey ZL: Haha! Love that word ‘wicked’…love the feelings it conjures up…and the visuals that come to mind. Soo descriptive!
Hello Anonz: Happy to hear that you and your army are helping those that need it, and that you are alive and kicking…kicking some ass that is. :) As always, thanks again for making the time to stop by here and share valuable information. I appreciate it and I am sure my readers do too.
Readers: Speaking of…there are quite a few comments worth reading from yesterday. I need to run but I’d enjoy hearing your thoughts, ideas, suggestions. Blog me if you feel the need. I am here.
Peace & Love…
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: Your Bad Ass Bitch Editor
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February 9th, 2009 at 11:06 am
Michelle
Why do you devote so much time to what happens to a few niggers? America is in a free fall. Most of it was caused by those lazy bastards who were looking for a free ride into a home they new they couldn’t afford.
If this nigger didn’t do what he was accused you better believe that there are plenty of them who have gotten away with a lot of crimes against unsuspecting white people.
Thomas
February 9th, 2009 at 12:45 pm
I love all the speculation about the economy. The bush boys set up the economy with the first half of the 350 billion so that us inner sanctum guys will be able to buy up those mortgages at pennies on the dollar. For example I’ve been offered $14 billion dollars worth of mortgages for 13 cents on the dollar.
96% of these “toxic assets” are people who own mortgages who are still paying their mortgages on time. Paulson and the bush boys worked out a scam similar to the one the bush family did with mortgages in the eighties. We made billions buying up pennies on the dollar mortgages then.
The government will step in shortly and declare a floor on the value of these supposedly “toxic” mortgages. When that happens billionaires like me will step in with what you will hear is “private money” and start buying. We will effectively own the rest of real estate America for a few dollars.
If the market makes just 50% back, billions will be made by us private investors. Poor Obama has yet to find out how skilled the bush boys were in setting up the looting of the national treasury and then the american people. Only a criminal investigation will bring out the truth. Of course, I can say this with complete ease. We will never get close to being charged with anything criminal.
Before you mad-as-hell citizens jump in with your vitriolic comments directed towards me because I will make billions from your misery, let me remind you that it was YOU that voted bush in for two terms. And let me remind you that you still haven’t learned your lesson.
The same politicians, with the same tricks, fed you your religious pabulum, less taxes, keep the dems from controlling the White House and the Senate spiel. You lapped it up and re-elected the same bunch of republican senators for 6 more years. Now, that bunch can work tirelessly for the next 6 years sabotaging the President’s efforts to clean up the mess bush left. It was you who elected the bunch who are now working to guarantee me my billions of dollars of profit.
When you are looking for someone to blame, look in the mirror. You vote your racism, religious dogma, personal greed. So don’t complain when your representatives use that shit to get elected and then sell out to the highest bidder.
This is capitalism at its best. There is something for sell. you slobs jump in and start bidding for it. The result should be that the law of supply and demand would guarantee a fair price to both the sellers and the buyers.
But since you stacked to deck with crooked politicians, they allow the game to be manipulated by deregulation, manipulating the supply or demand, or looking the other way when we of the connected drive the price down before we buy.
Yes, unlike you moralist who wish to force your religious vent upon the rest of America, we billionaires just want to own the result of what your for sale electees represent. For a price, they allow us to play the capitalism game by first driving the price down so that we are guaranteed a huge profit at the expense of the general market participants.
So while you racist moral dictator wanna bes are trying to stack the Supreme Court, we are content to stack dollars, or euros, or whatever the going currency is at the time. Look in the mirror or at your neighbor before you rant at me. Change your priorities before you vote. Look for what is best for the nation as a whole not so much for your race, religion, or sex.
People like McCain continue to spiel out “government control,” “wealth transfer,” and “socialism” scares to ignorant people who can’t understand that this was the spiel that got them in the position they are in in the first place. They have stripped the bill of the things that would have helped those that need those services the most.
The republicans want to defeat Obama’s intentions. If he succeeds, they stand to lose big in the following elections. Their jobs and profits are more important than America’s ability to survive as a nation.
Me, unless these filthy murderous arabs and mineral grabbing genocidal chinese kill me, I will return to the same ole shit in the USA. President Obama can not solve the greed with good intentions. He needs the people to back him in his efforts to clean up the influence, graft and outright criminality in public service on all levels. I sit here typing this on my Archo’s 700 knowing that it is useless dribble because I don’t expect Americans to get behind the President. I expect you to be motivated by the same tried and proven republican spiel.
Rather than wasting your time ranting at me, you Don Quiotes should write your representatives and demand they support the President. But what do I know? I’m just the happy billionaire, getting rich off your voting habits and laughing all the way to the bank.
Anonz
February 9th, 2009 at 9:19 pm
Sweet pea, you’re welcome although there’s no need to thank me, glad you’re safe and in this current and/or ‘parellel universe’ you will be through summer, I think…after that…watch your back as usual : )
Good info coming in but as usual you make even stronger points, I take no issue with you reaping financial benefits but I cringe when you say we voted it. I’m not a racist, I’m a devout universalist existential Zen Lilly and personal greed is not a trait of mine. I’ll help do the clean up though, no other choice. So I’ll write whoever I have to to make a PO’d ZL point of asking he/she to do what they were elected to do: work FOR the people and help Obama do the same.
I just found out through a ‘loan renegotiator’ I hired that ‘large bundles of loans’ are bought on the cheap by people such as yourself and she told me to pray (I didn’t tell her I don’t do that particular practice) that ‘my investor who owns my paper’ will be lenient with new terms/house valuation. Whatever…fine…and if he/she investor person is not, f**k it, I’ll be happily living in a rented bungalow by a beach somewhere, maybe I’ll have some cash leftover to hire someone buff to peel and feed me some grapes : ) I know you’re pretty busy but I would consider you for the position, hahaha…
Ciao, Zen Lill
February 10th, 2009 at 1:54 am
My Sweet Lilly
I certainly didn’t mean to insinuate that you or many like you were guilty of supporting an inept if not criminal regime that derived and maintained their power by pandering to the acquisitive, if not loathsome traits of the voters that supported them.
You yourself have been on the end of some of these horrid people’s racism. They have an maniacal intolerance for anyone who has a different belief from their own. The RNC caters to these sociopaths to further their own greedy aims.
I’m not against a person having an opinion different from mine as long as he/she doesn’t believe that he has the right, from god or whoever, to force that opinion upon me. However, I, like the RNC, am not above using that person’s belief to make a few billion dollars.
My previous tirade was directed to them. I don’t think they can complain when we are as intolerant of their needs as they have elected us to be of others. I may not be one of those who they elected to force others to correspond to their belief, but I am one of those in whose pockets their electees belong.
My point was that unless those that do not believe as those sociopaths believe, confront them, then they will be a part of history as the general population of Germany was when they allowed a few sociopaths to carry a nation towards murdering the OTWs of the world.
Do not underestimate the numbers of these sociopaths. Look at mediums that Lambough and Fox represent. They are as big as they are because of the numbers of sociopaths that support them. People like me look at the numbers and our eyes fill with dollar bills. Somebody needs to take the power and evil all the money in their hands could create and put it to a different use.
Notice I said different use. I did not say some altruistic use. I am satisfied with removing the authority they would have if all their financial clout could be concentrated into giving them the power to enact their racial and religious tyranny over me and others.
What I do with their money is my business as long as it is not used as they would use it to turn the world into a new version of Nazi Germany’s third reich.
On a lighter note, I want to thank you, my sweet, for asking that I be looked after. And as for that job of the “buff to peel and feed” you some grapes. I work cheap.
And on the purchase of your mortgage, if I get it, you will get the most loving and personal terms you can ask for. You name the terms, you make the contract. Me I just sign, and sigh.
Anonz
February 10th, 2009 at 2:26 am
CAREGIVING 101: CLASSES FOR CAREGIVERS
With 1.4 million Americans in nursing homes, nearly six million receiving care at home, and a groundswell of aging baby boomers, the need for in-home care workers continues to grow while the supply of caregivers continues to shrink.
One effort to address this problem is the creation of caregiver training programs to upgrade the skills of those currently employed as home care aides and also encourage others to enter the field. It’s not just paid professionals who benefit from taking these programs though. They’re a tremendous resource for family caregivers, a place to learn the skills and information they’ll need to keep their loved ones safe and healthy. Recently, 12 community colleges around the country were awarded grants of up to $25,000 each to develop home-based caregiver training programs or enhance programs that already exist for family-member caregivers and in-home care workers. The initiative was funded by MetLife Foundation and is based within The Caregiving Project for Older Americans (a joint venture of the International Longevity Center-USA and the Schmieding Center for Senior Health and Education).
WHAT WILL STUDENTS LEARN?
One goal of the in-home caregiver training programs and classes is to address the overwhelming desire of those needing care to remain at home as long as possible, as opposed to going to a nursing home or other type of institutional care setting, I was told by Kenneth Knapp, PhD, of the International Longevity Center. I asked Karla Jamison, RN, BSN, who developed the caregiving course at one grant-awarded college, Neosho County Community College, in rural Chanute, Kansas, for details on NCCC’s course content. The class she teaches covers a wide variety of caregiving issues, including hands-on instruction in how to move patients around in bed and also in the bath… how to recognize signs and symptoms that require medical intervention… and how to find out about community resources and health care services and act as an advocate for a person who would benefit.
This last aspect is particularly important for family caregivers who are unlikely to know much about what’s available in the community. Jamison said people also need guidance in organizing their time and life around new caregiving duties, since often these compete with existing jobs and responsibilities to other family members. She notes that an important topic is the need for self-care for the caregiver, along with advice on how to find time for respite and renewal.
Jamison is not just an instructor and a nurse — she was also a caregiver to her grandmother, so she knows firsthand the tremendous stress, anxiety and exhaustion that caregivers routinely experience. Though acknowledging how demanding it was, she also told me about the great personal returns she experienced in caring for her grandmother and about the surprising moments of joy that arose during the darkest of days. Jamison said she plans to share this part of caregiving in her classes as well.
For more information on caregiving training programs, go to the Web site of the International Longevity Center at http://www.ilcusa.org/prj/caregiving.htm.
Source(s): ?
Kenneth Knapp, PhD, is senior research analyst, International Longevity Center, New York City.
Karla Jamison, RN, BSN, is Health Occupation Coordinator-Ottawa at Neosho County Community College in Kansas.
Be well,
?Carole Jackson ?Bottom Line’s Daily Health News
February 10th, 2009 at 8:55 am
I couldn’t get in to comment on the article you printed yesterday. I am trying this morning. Who in their right mind would believe the police on this? It is clear that even when they are being recorded they kill blacks as if there are no consequences to worry about.
They are usually right unless the black community is willing to riot and threaten to destroy white property unless they get justice.
Frank
February 10th, 2009 at 9:01 am
Who runs this blog? Can’t a black man get a say. I am a 23 year old college student in a small town in RI. The police can and do do whatever they wish to black men here. We are constantly being harassed by these thugs with badges.
White america give the police unchecked, and ill reviewed (if any) power to insure their privileged place in the social structure of american society. They use biased hiring practices to insure their privileged place in the financial structure of american society.
We are getting tired of this shit.
Melvin
February 10th, 2009 at 9:20 am
Good black men are turning to crime because white men are still keeping them out of the opportunity to share in the wealth America has to offer its citizens.
I am a tenured professor at a major university. I see the discrimination every day. It is a shameful practice. White men hit on me with the attitude that I should be grateful to have an opportunity to get a white mate who will be able to earn a comparable living wage to my own.
Frankly, I would rather marry a black man serving a life term in prison than lay down with one of these pale skinned inadequate freaks. I am not a prejudiced person. Many, actually most of my friends and academic associates are white. I hold no animosity towards them. I love many of them as my own family.
My complaint is with the white system designed to impede any competition from those who are not white in the race to rise to the top of their chosen professions. I am especially bitter about the white man’s concentrated efforts to keep black men out of the financial arena.
Our black men are being framed, imprisoned, beaten, killed and embittered by the police forces across this country. There is a real shortage of black men who have not been arrested or given a criminal record. I am so angry I could spit.
Trina
September 16th, 2013 at 11:37 am
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