Johnsons family, however, said they areconfident the 25-second audio clip is authentic and that it could lead to criminal charges in the case. 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. 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. Nobody wants Kendrick to get justice. the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. 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. Verifying the tapes authenticity is indispensable, he added. We know that.. Kendrick Johnsons body has been exhumed twice in recent years. Johnsons parents finally believed that their sons death was not being taken seriously because of his race. I will fight as long as I have to, to uncover what happened to Kendrick Johnson.. "Eight long years the crying, the tears, the backlash, being talked about, ridiculed it has not been easy," Johnson added. [20] A forensic analyst enlisted by CNN found that tapes from two cameras are missing an hour and five minutes of footage, while another set was missing two hours and ten minutes of footage. S3 Ep 26 "Results" The Kendrick Johnson Investigation - Investigative True Crime Series In this episode Ash and her team head to North Carolina. Finally, in March 2021, authorities reopened their investigation into Kendrick Johnsons death. 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. Abducted in Plain Sight 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. Eight years ago, classmates at Lowndes High School in Valdosta found 17-year-old Kendrick Johnson's body inside an upright mat. CNN has not independently inspected all the evidence that the sheriff reviewed. Kendrick Johnson (Part 1) Crime Weekly. Kendrick Johnsons body rolled up inside the gym mat with his shoes behind his knees. In it, Paulk wrote, I am quite sure that there will still be a contingent that will believe there was foul play. Listen, Im a high school teacher. Pure evil. [17], Johnson's family requested that his body be exhumed for a second time and was granted permission by Valdosta city officials. Johnson's mother told Channel 2s Tony Thomas . 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. Earlier in March, Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk announced that officials were reopening the investigation and reevaluating the previously-sealed evidence. His body was discovered by a teacher the next day rolled up inside the gym mat. 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. Allegedly they were in an altercation on a school bus prior to Kendricks death. You do not believe there was anything criminal? Thomas asked Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk. Kendrick died as a result of blunt force trauma to his person. The family, together with the NAACP and other civil rights activists, then held a rally at the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta. NY Daily News/Valdosta/Lowndes Regional Crime Labratory via CNN. 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. On January 11, 2013, the body of Kendrick Johnson (October 10, 1995 January 10, 2013) was discovered inside a vertical rolled-up mat in the gymnasium of Lowndes High School in Valdosta, Georgia, United States, where he was a student. 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. They purchased this from an individual and he did not give them his true name. One of the coroners reports on Kendrick Johnsons autopsy. [12], The independent autopsy found that some time after Johnson's body was recovered from the mat and had passed through a funeral home, it had been stuffed with newspapers. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! 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. State medical examiners concluded that. The US Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Ohio declined to comment. [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. You didnt find nothing in 17 boxes? "Nobody really cares, Jackie Johnson, the teenagers mother, told WAGA-TV. 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 . "This week we are trying Kendrick Johnson as the shooter, the organizer and the planner of Delindsey Mack's murder," she told . This page was last edited on 2 February 2023, at 04:38. First, no one heard him? Then, read about the horrifying murder of Emmett Till. [24] The magazine used pseudonyms but was otherwise accurate in descriptions of the boys, including the fact that their father was an FBI agent. Required fields are marked *. [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. I encourage everyone to study ALL the evidence in this file before forming an opinion.. The NBA has opened an investigation into a social media post by Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant after he livestreamed himself holding what appeared to be a gun at a club early Saturday. I made a promise to the people Id go through every piece of [evidence].. News of the re-openedinvestigation was welcomed by Johnsons family. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation previously determined Johnsons death was accidental despite two independent autopsies finding the teen died of non-accidental blunt force trauma. "[11], Lt. Stryde Jones, who headed up the investigation for the Lowndes County Sheriff's Office, stated: "We never had credible information that indicated this was anything other than an accident. 1 of 2. In November 2013, 290 hours of surveillance tape from 35 cameras that covered the gym area were released to CNN following a court request. Lowndes County police said they believed Kendrick crawled into the mat to retrieve his shoes, became stuck, and continued to burrow into the mat until he became completely trapped and died. Furthermore, a second autopsy showed non-accidental blunt force trauma to the back of the neck. "[35][36], On March 10, 2021, the case was officially reopened. An autopsy conducted by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation determined the cause of Johnsons death was accidental positional asphyxia. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Johnsons parents were suspicious of the investigation from the beginning. "[11] Johnson's family questioned this hypothesis. [23] It alleged that Johnson was attacked on a bus trip 14 months prior to his death. The Johnsons were also sure that their sons body had been moved, which was corroborated by Lowndes County Coroner, Bill Watson. The mat was vertical. However,. We are cautiously optimistic now.. In 2013, Johnsons body was found rolled up in a mat inside a Valdosta-area high school gymnasium. For the latest true crime and justice news, subscribe to the Crime Stories with Nancy Grace podcast. This is how you roll in Valdosta. She and her family maintain that young Kendrick was murdered. Since 17 year old Kendrick Johnson was found dead, in a rolled up gym mat, the question has remained; was this a tragic accident, or a well orchestrated and quickly hidden murder. The three teens were classmates. Law enforcement has ruled Kendrick's death an . But investigators quickly closed their case on the theory that Johnson had simply fallen into the mat while reaching for one of his sneakers. We dont know whether its credible or not, hesaid. 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. 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. 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. The public was horrified by the photo and began to rally around the Johnsons in their quest for the truth. We provide you with a list of the top 15 best true crime documentaries that every true crime fan will thoroughly enjoy. 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. In 2013, the 17-year-olds body was found upside down inside a rolled-up gym mat at a Georgia high school; he'd suffocated to death. We know that.. 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. We already knew what team you were on. MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF: Kendrick Johnson Episode Summary In 2013 a 17-year-old boy's body was found rolled up in a high school gym mat. The Johnsons have a GoFundMe account open to hire a private investigator to look into what they say is new evidence. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. [11] Some of the apparent lapses in coverage were found to result from camera systems that were not synchronized with one another. He was never shown within or leaving the gym and indeed, he never did show up for his following classes. I just keep waiting for someone to be honest with [the Johnsons], Karen Bell, the mother of Brian and Branden Bell, said. The post Kendrick Johnsons case closed after authorities say no crime found appeared first on TheGrio. Crime News is your destination for true crime stories from around the world, breaking crime news, and information about Oxygen's original true crime shows and documentaries. 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. [14] The governor's office released a statement indicating that they would await the report of the U.S. I would be suspicious too, if I were Kendricks parents, that there may be some kind of cover up occurring because, lets face it, who has ever heard of someone dying in a rolled up gym mat? : No charges in Kendrick Johnson death, nr Blackwell Kendrick Johnson_00003415.jpg. The YSL Case Is Stretching Fulton County's Justice System to Its Breaking Point. The sheriff says case closed again but he will reopen it if someone brings him verified new information. Published on February 1, 2022 08:45 AM. A recording that reportedly contains an emotional confession of an individual who may have been involved in the suspicious 2013 death of teenager Kendrick Johnson in Georgia is now being vetted by authorities, police said this week. Policeand eventually the state's We have buried kj 3 times and it felt like 3 funerals and i lost him 3 times.. FacebookKendrick Johnson with his mother. Justice denied. Johnsons shoulders measured 19 across and he was five feet, ten inches tall. The photo, in which Kendrick Johnsons face is extremely swollen, almost does not look human. Kendrick Johnson lived with his family in Valdosta, Georgia and attended Lowndes High School. 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. "If it's a hoax, it's a very, very cruel hoax to do to Mrs. Johnson," he said. [39] He further stated that two brothers, named in previous legal actions by the Johnsons, are not suspects. 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. 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. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. You are not on the team of righteousness, Jackie Johnson said. Eight years ago, classmates at Lowndes High School in Valdosta found 17-year-old Kendrick Johnsons body inside an upright mat. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. Investigators tested the blood which revealed that it did not belong to Kendrick Johnson. Investigators, who suspected hed become trapped after attempting to grab a pair of sneakers, ruled his deatha freak accident. "[18] The Johnson family subsequently filed a civil lawsuit against the funeral home, seeking monetary damages. Discovery Company. estimatingthat the reopened investigation could last a minimumof six months. Download theGrio today! The Bell family has previously deflected blame in the incident; now, Karen Bell says she's upset by the renewed investigative efforts. [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. We knew what the outcome would be from the very beginning, Kendricks father, Kenneth Johnson, told CNN. Lowndes County is in southern Georgia. Just after 24 hours of being found, the investigators ruled Johnsons death an accident. WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta facebook feed(Opens a new window), WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta twitter feed(Opens a new window), WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta instagram feed(Opens a new window), WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta youtube feed(Opens a new window), Lowndes County Sheriff's findings on death of Kendrick Johnson, Missing Pennsylvania woman found alive after more than 30 years, Reality star Honey Boo Boo was inside speeding Dodge Charger involved in chase with Ga. deputies, Former Atlanta Hawk, Ga. Tech star charged with choking, kidnapping N.C. woman, Surveillance video shows moments leading up to deadly UGA crash, A 17-year-old Gwinnett County girl thought she was taking Percocet; now shes dead. Forensic experts are conducting voice comparison analysis on the speaker captured in the recording. 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 . 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. Do not believe anything that this sheriffs department tells you, Kenneth Johnson said. Investigators, who suspected hed become trapped after attempting to grab a pair of sneakers, ruled his deatha freak accident. RELATED:Body Parts Are Missing: Newly-Released Footage of Kendrick Johnsons Last Moments, the Latest in Troubling Death Investigation. 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. Crime News is your destination for true crime stories from around the world, breaking crime news, and information about Oxygen's original true crime shows and documentaries. KENDRICK JOHNSON: SHERIFF SAYS INVESTIGATION INTO GEORGIA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETE'S DEATH A 'WITCH HUNT' The investigative synopsis states classmates found Johnson. 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. 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. It includes photographs from the schools gymnasium. The origin and credibility of the recording . On Jan. 11, 2013, Johnson's body was discovered in a rolled-up gym mat at Lowndes High School. Draymond Green and Kendrick Perkins don't know it, but they are the first "openly MAGA" basketball players. Possible Audio Confession In Kendrick Johnsons Death Investigated, A recordingthat reportedly contains an emotional confession of an individual who may have been involved in the suspicious 2013 death of teenager. In 2013, Johnsons body was found rolled up in a mat inside a Valdosta-area high school gymnasium. You do not believe there was anything criminal? reporter Tony Thomas asked Paulk. On June 20, 2016, the Department of Justice announced that it would not be filing any criminal charges related to Johnson's death. The three teens were classmates. [26], Shortly before the lawsuit was filed, U.S. Attorney Michael J. Moore said in a statement that a federal investigation was still open and that "the investigation has proven more complicated and taken longer than originally anticipated. [1][2][3][4] After a preliminary investigation and autopsy concluded that Johnson's death was accidental, his family had a private pathologist conduct a second autopsy which concluded that he died from blunt force trauma. Looking for interesting and mysterious true crime documentaries? The sheriff at the center of the Kendrick Johnson death case says his department has gone through the evidence extensively and found no crime. Sheriff says recording thought to show proof Kendrick Johnson was murdered, was a cruel hoax His family says despite the setback, they are not giving up hope. Paulk wrote that he reviewed 17 boxes of files from the FBI, Department of Justice, and local authorities while revisiting this case. Im going through everything myself, Paulk said,estimatingthat the reopened investigation could last a minimumof six months. Investigators ruled it an accident but his family and other people nationwide believe he was murdered. 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. 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. This will be the final [investigation], as far as Im concerned, he said. Anderson claimed that his findings indicated traces of blunt force trauma to the right neck and soft tissues, and suggested the death was not accidental. Though it was quickly ruled an accidental death, Kendrick's family thought something was wrong. The Grizzlies played in Denver on Friday night and are scheduled to fly to Los Angeles on Saturday . [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. No further information was readily provided by law enforcement. That initial investigation concluded that Johnson accidentally slipped into the center of the mat while reaching for a shoe and got stuck. They were sued for more than $850,000 in attorney fees and more than one million in defamation charges. An investigation into the death of Kendrick Johnson, the Georgia teenager found dead in a rolled-up gym mat eight years ago, has been reopened, according to Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk. But you have to wonder. 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. [6] That lawsuit was subsequently withdrawn. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. The case was. He was found dead in a rolled up wresting mat. "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. However, these things really happen in the world. All That's Interesting is a Brooklyn-based digital publisher that seeks out stories that illuminate the past, present, and future. Indeed, in 2013, racism in Valdosta, Georgia, was still very much alive. The findings of the second autopsy, that Johnsons death was not accidental and caused by blunt force trauma likely due to being struck in the neck with a 45lb dumbbell, were confirmed. Im feeling hopeful.. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. Why The Accidental Death Of Kendrick Johnson Remains Suspicious To This Day. 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. Idk why but this case in particular seems to bring out the worst in a lot of true crime podcast hosts. 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. This time, the autopsy revealed that Kendrick Johnson had suffered hemorrhaging on the right side of his neck, which meant that he likely died from blunt force trauma. 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. Wikimedia CommonsSeventeen-year-old Kendrick Johnsons body was inexplicably found upside-down in a rolled-up gym mat in 2013. Paulk called the teenagers death a weird accident, telling CNN, there is nothing to substantiate a homicide.. Kendrick Johnson with his mother and father, Kenneth and Jackie Johnson (The Johnson Family). They also reported that the blood had likely been there for a long time. In 2013, the 17-year-olds body was found upside down inside a rolled-up gym mat at a Georgia high school; he'd suffocated to death. 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. He wrote that the FBI reviewed footage from 62 cameras on campus, and Johnson never crossed paths with the brothers. 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. [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. Kendrick Johnson was found dead in a gym mat at Lowndes High School in January 2013. Despite these resignations, the Department of Justice investigation continued. A Warner Bros. Investigators concluded he died in a freak accident. The teens parents say they are not convinced. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! It is a case that has stumped and enraged millions of people around the world. And now, authorities say they have an audio recording of someone admitting to Johnson's death. He died on January 10 in the school's gym. [2], Authorities hypothesized that Johnson had fallen into the mat while looking for a shoe and died after being unable to get out. 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..
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