Robin Postell:
3. Why was the family not allowed to see and identify Johnson’s body?
Leigh Touchton: The father was allowed to see his son’s body, two deputies and one crime lab technician were present. This was a breach of protocol that Sheriff Chris Prine authorized because the father was pleading for closure, begging to be allowed to see his son. He later used this breach of protocol to make false allegations that the body cooler was sabotaged in order to “cook” his son’s body to destroy evidence.
Robin Postell:
Since Sheriff Chris Prine continued to tell the press and anyone who was listening it was just an accident, even before any investigation had been performed, or cause of death had been determined, Georgia law has certain protocol to be followed as far as how the body is handled, where and by whom it is dispatched.
Re-Newsit: Sheriff Prine did not tell anyone "it was just an accident" before the investigation was completed. He told parents there didn't appear to be any signs of foul play in order to ease their minds. He relied upon the experts for this information. In fact, the Johnson family was told by Lowndes County Sheriff Chris Prine that “based on their initial examination, Kendrick did not die of foul play.” The Lowndes County Sheriff’s Department was relying on the examination of Valdosta Crime Lab forensic investigators as well as six GBI agents who were initially called to the death scene.
Leigh Touchton: There were no gunshot wounds, no stab wounds, and the body was swollen and decomposing, not beaten. Numerous forensic investigators with years of training and experience collected evidence at the scene and made a cursory examination of the body. Based on their combined expertise, they told Sheriff Prine that it did not appear that the child had been beaten to death. Sheriff Prine made this statement to the bereaved family in an effort to provide them with some measure of solace and because he was trying to be compassionate. There were school officials present when Sheriff Chris Prine made this statement to the bereaved mother and sister. Instead of accepting his words in the context in which they were delivered (based on initial examination of the body and death scene) and even though they knew that the body was being sent to Macon to be autopsied by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation for a diagnosis that would be based on internal examination, the family immediately began publicly claiming that “Sheriff Prine had ruled the death accidental, no foul play.” This is totally untrue.
Robin Postell:
Accidental death of a victim would ordinarily mean the body would be at the hospital or morgue, not transported by a high-level security Valdosta Police Department officer, Steve Owens, who dubiously owns Owens Transport (though at time of writing this business has yet to be found in any formal business registries).
How else would the body get to the hospital or morgue without being transported? As far as the place of business, Owen's Transport, and anything untoward, you might ask coroner Bill Watson about: From crime scene report: "Steve owens from owens Transiport was contacted by Lowndes county corner Bill watson to conduct the removal ancl transpo'rt of the body to the Valdosta-Lowndes Regional Crime Laboratory." .
Robin Postell:GA DEATH INVESTIGATION HISTORY
The state recognizes it enables counties to continue being dependent on it, therefore Owens Transport presumably is doing a good deed by taking on this responsibility/cost?If Owens Transport sub-contracts, this fact has not been made public - and it is public information and should be readily available/accessible.
The fact that the coroner was not called for at least six hours and the accounts that the body had been moved out of the gym on a gurney by paramedics raises serious, if not sinister, concerns - and explains why Coroner Bill Watson was vituperative in his April interview when he stated that the scene upon his arrival had been compromised severely and there was little or no cooperation from members of law enforcement on the scene - and most strikingly, his emphatic declaration that the body had been moved.
Re-Newsit: From what I understand, and I cannot source this directly to Sheriff Prine...he did not want Watson called because Watson is a media hound and Prine (allegedly), did not want the media to get the story wrong the way they did in another case Watson was Coroner for, the death of teenager Jasmine Benjamin. You may recall the case, Jasmine was murdered in her dorm over the Thanksgiving holiday, 2012.
Valdosta, GA, November 19, 2012 - On Sunday afternoon Valdosta State University students discovered that one of their own had unexpectedly passed away.
17 year old Jasmine Cathleen Benjamin was a freshman from Lawrenceville Georgia. She died over the weekend and was discovered on Sunday around noon.
She was found lying on a couch in a study room in this building, Georgia Hall, on Campus.
Ryan Ryke is a Valdosta State University Student. He said "the last thing I would think of is death when going to college. Especially as a freshman."
According to the Lowndes County Coroner Bill Watson there was no indication of suicide or foul play.
Valdosta, GA - November 21, 2012, 5:57pm - A 17-year old Valdosta State University student's death is now being called A homicide. Members of VSU's police, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Valdosta Police have been working around the clock in what they've now confirmed is a homicide. [LINK] (All emphasis mine)
In Kendrick's case, as he was in Jasmine's case, Bill Watson regretted speaking to reporters too soon. Or it could just be that Bill Watson does not like being made to wait around at a crime scene....someone should ask him about James Eunice.
Robin Postell:
That Johnson’s body was not identified by a family member is inexplicable, and again, raises serious skepticism. His parents had already been distraught even before his body was found, and knowing that their son was in a facility only a few blocks from where they lived must have been devastating. It would not be until the 14th that Kenneth Johnson was allowed to see the body and when he did he stated later that he was glad his wife had not been there.
Leigh Touchton: "It is NOT standard protocol for a family to be allowed to view a body that has been taken into custody, because the body is evidence and the evidence must be preserved via the chain of custody. If their child WERE murdered, the defense attorney would be able to use this point of the father looking at his child’s body to plant the seed in the minds of a jury that the father planted evidence. That’s why the chain of custody is so important. Sheriff Prine should never have let Kenneth Johnson see his child’s body before the autopsy but he did so because he thought he was helping a grieving father. The forensic investigators had collected a lot of evidence by this point and all of them were saying basically the same thing: this looks like an accident.
It is ridiculous that the Johnson family cannot understand that scientists and medical examiners have been trained to make these kinds of determinations. It is ridiculous that anyone with no medical background would look at the swollen and decomposed face of this child and conclude that “he was beaten to death” when they clearly don’t know what they are even looking at! Furthermore, it is a falsehood perpetuated by the Johnson family and their two attorneys to continue to claim that the post-autopsy face of their child is how Kendrick looked when he was found dead. In the autopsy, the skin is cut near the hairline and pulled down over the face, disconnected from the underlying musculature, so that the muscles can be examined.
Muscles will record signs of bruising and battery more accurately than facial skin, which had already started to decompose and pull away from the face due to “skin slippage.” The family and their attorneys have been told over and over that the post-autopsy photograph is not how their child appeared when he was found at Lowndes High School. Kenneth Johnson has given statements to local folks saying “he doesn’t care” if people are misinformed and draw the wrong conclusions about the state of his son’s face. . In regards to Dr. William Anderson, the Johnson family attorney found a pathologist with NO, as in ZERO, experience researching positional asphyxia, who delivered an analysis that is so nebulous that most folks with common sense would immediately discount it as “gun for hire”. But the Johnson family thinks Dr. William Anderson alone is more credible than six GBI agents, 3 medical examiners at the accredited lab where the autopsy was performed, and 13 forensic investigators at the Valdosta Crime Lab. It’s completely irrational to most people, but not to the Johnson family or Postell"
Robin Postell:
At least 20 law officers, agents - from the sheriff’s department, local crime lab, and state officials from the nearest Georgia Bureau of Investigation office in Thomasville, 45 miles away, the coroner’s office (eventually) - first responders (fire department and EMTs), school staff, and students had seen the 17-year-old’s disfigured body lying prone on the gym floor - but not his mother, who had arrived at the school early to question staff and look for her missing son.
Re-Newsit: All of the above would naturally have seen KJ's body, it was their job to be there. The other students were not invited into the gym for a viewing...they had discovered his body. As far as Jackie arriving early to look for her missing son...this is not why Jackie went to the school that morning...or at least it was not the only reason.
Jackie and Kenyetta, with a small boy in tow, arrived at the high school at approximately 8:45 on January 11, 2013, to ask about Kenyetta's latest High School graduation scores. The counselor, Dana Hutchinson, gave Kenyetta and Jackie the scores and information Kenyetta needed in order to pass the test.
From a written and signed statement by a school guidance counselor, Dana Hutchinson [13-01-1520] dated January 11, 2013, can be found in the case file:
"I left them (Mrs. J, Kenyetta and boy) in my office and went to Mrs. Gaston's classroom to get some study materials for Kenyetta. -10 minutes later approx. I went back to my office and explained all of the paperwork Mrs. Gason gave me to Kenyetta and Mrs. J. -Kenyetta got up and walked out of my office. -Mrs. Johnson asked me if report cards went out on Thursday and if I would print Kendrick's for her. -She then said he did not come home that night. I printed the report card and gave it to her. -She asked me if he was listed as a Junior yet and I told her no. He would need to pass all of his classes this semester to reach Jr. status. -I told her I would check Infinite Campus to see if he was in school on Thursday. -I pulled his attendance up for Thursday, and I told her he was marked absent for 4th block.
The counselor then proceeded to call in a student and several of KJ's teachers to confirm which classes he had been present in on Thursday, the 10th. All said he was present except his 4th block instructor; he told Mrs. Johnson KJ had not attended his 4th block weight training class. Mrs. Hutchinson then called a Deputy Adams and told him KJ had not come home the night before.
Dana Hutchinson's statement cont.:
"Mrs. Johnson got a text from someone, or a call and asked me if I knewthere was an ambulance and fie trucks on campus. I did not know, no one had said anything to me."
The statement goes on to explain how Jackie Johnson asked for several students to be called out of class in order that she might ask them if they'd seen KJ. The counselor called in several students, the first being the young man that was assaulted later the next day by Jackie's relatives, including Kenyetta Johnson. The young man was asked if he had been to the ball game the night before...he said he had not. The counselor asked him if he wanted to tell this to Mrs. Johnson and he said "no". The counselor relayed to Jackie that the young man had not been to the game. Other students were asked if they'd seen Kendrick since 3rd block on Thursday and all said they had not seen him.
While waiting for one of the students the counselor was called out by the school social worker and into another office. The social worker told Mrs. Hutchinson and the other counselors that a body had been found in the gym, but the Sheriff had not confirmed. Dana, in her statement, said that she and the other counselors did not see the need in telling anyone until the administrator confirmed the information. After speaking to the last student about Kendrick, Jackie asked why the school was on lock-down and said she needed someone to come and get the little boy and that person could not get back on campus. Mrs. Hutchinson said she would see what she could do. Jackie left the office with Mrs. Hutchinson and said she would go outside and meet the person to pick up the little boy.
This was at 10:41, according to the affidavit. My question is, where did Kenyetta go when she left the office in a huff (my words and reading between the lines).
Robin Postell:
She noticed the turmoil and immediately her instincts told her they had found her son. When they told her that yes, it was Kendrick, she collapsed.His family had filed a missing person’s report the night before, having been distraught almost immediately when he did not come home from school on January 10, Thursday.
Re-Newsit: Her call to report KJ missing came in after 11:00 PM...(check documents for exact time).
Robin Postell:
His mother, Jackie, had been a school bus driver for Lowndes County School System for ten years and it was common for Kendrick to catch a ride with her. She knew her son and it was not adding up - and whatever else she and her family knew was fueling their heightened state of distress.
Re-Newsit: Bold emphasis mine. The bold portion of the last paragraph is curious. Any idea where this came from? Any idea what they "knew" before KJ's body was ever found? Is that why one teen was assaulted by Kendrick's family members?
Robin Postell:
A friend of the family said that when Kendrick had not returned Thursday, phones were lighting up. “I got the call from my friend at 4:30 pm on Thursday and she said, ‘They got Kj.’” What did the family and the family’s closest friends know? And why aren’t they speaking out more? Yet another question.
Re-Newsit: Bold emphasis mine: You aren't kidding "another question". Who said this? Quoting an unnamed source? So someone said "they got KJ" at 4:30 and Jackie waited hours to call police??? I'm guessing they aren't speaking out more because they acted a little too quickly based on rumors...although I can't help but believe the person is mistaken on the day..
Robin Postell:
Students who already knew that Kendrick Johnson was their fallen classmate in the gym saw Jackie crumple to her knees at the moment she heard the news, many of them Tweeting about it and expressing great sorrow for her loss.
Re-Newsit: God bless her, no one should have to go through that. It is said that losing a child is the worst pain imaginable. I sincerely feel great compassion for her in this regard. She'll never believe that, but I honestly do. I felt, at first, that she was trying to blame his death on someone killing him instead of facing the horror he must have gone through while trying to free himself from that mat. Once she started throwing innocent children under the bus and trying to ruin their lives, my compassion for HER waned considerably....but never for Kendrick - God rest his soul.
Check back for Part II - I will address the remainder of
The Devil Went Down to Georgia, written by Robin Postell and initially published in the Daily Kos under the name of "EarlyGreen".
All documents relating to this case can be found under the "
Kendrick Johnson" tab at the top of this blog.
I only see ebidence of The Crump Hustle after too much nipping on the Lil Brown Jug!
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ReplyDeleteI am angry at Robin Postel for putting Miss Leigh down like she did. We aren't all stupid here and we don't all think anybody killed KJ. We mostly think he did a stupid thing and his bitch of a mamma can't get over and she hates white people so damn much she wants to see them suffer. I know this bunch and all of them are bad news. Kenyatta will drop a bitch for looking at her wrong. I hope Miss Leigh never stops helping the rest of us because we still need her in Valdosta. Robin Postel ought to be ashamed and apologize to her.
ReplyDeleteKitasha Rangel
Fantastic and thorough dismantling of the dubious claims and arguments contained in Postell's "article." The selling of KJ's tragic and premature death as a murder, rather than the unfortunate accident it was, is probably intended to rile up readers who can't be bothered to research the facts. Instead, they rely on propagandists to provide the lies necessary to perpetuate the myth of evil white folks, corrupt sheriffs and victimized blacks. This is 2014, not 1950. The number of willing participants which would be required to effectuate a coverup of this nature and magnitude is staggering. In fact, it's impossible. My best guess is that KJ's family enjoys the attention or see a payday in their future. In either event, their focus on railroading innocent students for KJ's death does nothing to help the Johnsons grieve and come to acceptance of their loss. Rest in peace, KJ, and hopefully your family will someday find peace, without further injuring the reputations and futures of innocent parties.
ReplyDeleteObviousely, Robin Postel needs to read the case file before writing an article based on one-sided CNN reports and the Johnson family's false allegations. The Johnsons need to stop accusing innocent kids of murdering their son. From reading this blog, it looks like they should have taken more care of their own children at home so they didnt end up in jail or dead.
ReplyDeleteLeigh Touchton needs to be praised for her courage of speaking out on this case. She has been a civil rights leader for many years in Valdosta and when she spoke up and told the "truth", the Johnson family and their attorneys attacked her character and her good name. In fact, anyone who has tried to tell the truth has been accused of being part of the "conspiracy". Rest in peace, KJ, I too hope your family finds peace and accepts the tragic accident and stop hurting other people with their lies.
ReplyDeleteOutstanding article! The time and attention to detail is impeccable! The character you and Leigh exemplify are what most people wish they could achieve during their short time here on earth. It's people like you both that expose evil and fight the good fight leading to real justice and light for us all to follow. The Johnson's and their attorneys are evil and mouth pieces for satan. They destroy innocent hard working families and communities and worst of all, innocent children. We will not go quietly but will turn their evil hearts over to the ultimate judge, the Lord God himself, who will make them accountable and shine the light of truth on their dark miserable lives.
ReplyDeleteBS, the Sheriff is corrupt & lied, so did the ME & Pricipal. Shoddy investigation & immediate jump to declare the murder of Kendrick Johnson an accident...to get a shoe. We saw the pictures, and he was badly beaten. Re-newsit is the same racist pig & zimmermanNut on twitter with her fictitious accounts after the murder of Trayvon Martin. That story is so full of holes, the DOJ immediately began an investigation. This murder is worse than the lynchings involving hooded kkk law enforcement & officials back in the 60s. People aren't as dumb as you hicks think! It will all come to a head, and the murderers & their protectors will be brought to justice.
ReplyDeleteI see the delusional mentally handicapped trayvon cult clowns are here to once again to arbitrarily declare this proven accident a murder in the face of a Mt Everest sized pile of evidence to the contrary and not one of these clowns has EVER been able to provide any cite-able evidence from the actual case file which supports their baseless delusions. The psychotic modern day lynch mob who refer to themselves as "trayvon Warriors" and " Kendrick Warriors" truly are the domestic terrorists of the 21st century.
ReplyDelete>>BS, the Sheriff is corrupt & lied, so did the ME & Pricipal. Shoddy investigation & immediate jump to declare the murder of Kendrick Johnson an accident...to get a shoe. We saw the pictures, and he was badly beaten. Re-newsit is the same racist pig & zimmermanNut on twitter with her fictitious accounts after the murder of Trayvon Martin. That story is so full of holes, the DOJ immediately began an investigation. This murder is worse than the lynchings involving hooded kkk law enforcement & officials back in the 60s. People aren't as dumb as you hicks think! It will all come to a head, and the murderers & their protectors will be brought to justice.<<
ReplyDeleteDid you even bother to read the post to which you are responding? In lieu of general bashing, can you identify the false statements that appear therein, or are you merely angry that the truth is being told and you don't like the way it sounds? I mean this respectfully: would you kindly point out exactly what the sheriff lied about, and how you know this? How about the original autopsy? You say he was badly beaten, but offer nothing but your bare claim that this is true, despite the Johnson's own pathologist failing to indicate same in his report. On what do you base your claims? Please point out the precise misstatements and provide citations or evidence that they were lies. Kindly use actual evidence, and not the conclusions drawn by dubious media reports.
@ April 22 11:48pm
ReplyDelete"This murder is worse than the lynchings involving hooded kkk law enforcement & officials back in the 60s."
YOU HAVE GOT TO BE FREAKING KIDDING ME!!! You are an ignorant human being! Waste of oxygen, because you appear to have some sort of brain damage already with shit talk like that.
I really believe every single person who still thinks this was a murder is suffering from a mental illness. I'm not sure what they think there is to be gained from creating paranoia and outrage among a certain subset of the population. Perhaps they believe it will galvanize activists and wanna-be protesters, generating momentum for social change? In any event, they have zero credibility when they cynically use and manipulate a tragic accident to make a point that they are perpetual victims of rich white folks and the justice system that upholds white supremacy. This is so much garbage. There are real victims of crime out there that get no publicity and support because they don't fit the storyline. Those are the folks that deserve attention and sympathy.
ReplyDeleteFantastic work on this article, keep up the great work on this site in general.
ReplyDeleteRobin Postell is a "want to be" writer. She suffers from some type of mental problem possibly narcisism. She has verbally assaulted Leigh Touchton on local blogs. She has defamed the manager of Valdosta Daily Times. She tweets minors asking them questions about KJ case. Need I say more? Robin Postell, if you are seeing this, know that we are on to you.
ReplyDeleteEverything explained in this analysis was explained to Fred Rosen and to Victor Blackwell. Those who have followed both men's "news stories" know that they chose to publish nothing but allegations, allegations that were rebutted to them by several different people. Victor Blackwell in particular videotaped interviews with local public officials and at least one public figure (Robin Postell might bother to inform herself of the difference between a public official and a public figure, because the libel laws are a little different)....regardless, Victor Blackwell (and Jordan Cohn who wrote the Grantland article) did not publish any interviews that rebutted their allegations of murder conspiracy cover up. Shame on all of them.
ReplyDelete