The new findings were the result of a second investigation by the Lowndes County Sheriffs Office following one by the FBI. In November 2013, 290 hours of surveillance tape from 35 cameras that covered the gym area were released to CNN following a court request. Justice denied. The sheriff said he spent 15 months reading every page in that file, but found that they did not show any criminal action whatsoever.. I just keep waiting for someone to be honest with [the Johnsons], Karen Bell, the mother of Brian and Branden Bell, said. Tweet. 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. His parents believe Kendrick was murdered. They soon discover that not only is something wrong, but things go much deeper than they ever imagined. The familys attorney, Chevene King, expressed thatif Kendrick had been white, the case would have been handled differently. For years, however, the teenagers family has insisted the 17-year-old was murdered and that investigators actively worked to stifle the familys pleas for justice. Kendrick Johnson's body was found in a rolled-up gym mat in January. On Jan. 11, 2013, Johnson's body was discovered in a rolled-up gym mat at Lowndes High School. 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. Required fields are marked *. This is a very unusual accident. 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. Pure evil. On Jan. 11, 2013, the body of 17-year-old Kendrick Johnson, a popular student and promising athlete at Lowndes High School, in Valdosta, Ga., was found rolled up upside down in a . And potentially missing videotape? The US Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Ohio declined to comment. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. The amended report stated his cause and manner of death were undetermined. We already knew that nothing was going to be done on your watch, she contended. 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. Kendrick Johnsons body rolled up inside the gym mat with his shoes behind his knees. Many speculate a darker reality. [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. 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. Camera systems were motion-activated, using a change in light pixels to turn recordings on and off. "Eight long years the crying, the tears, the backlash, being talked about, ridiculed it has not been easy," Johnson added. However,. Thats the craziest lie you could have told, Johnson said of Paulks probe. Then, read about the horrifying murder of Emmett Till. Its been eight long years, said Kendrick Johnsons mother, Jacquelyn. Paulk said his review of the extensive FBI investigation, 17 boxes worth of evidence and his own look at the 2013 death of Johnson has come to the same conclusion. 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. [11] A student at the school said that he shared a pair of Adidas shoes with Johnson, and that after gym class Johnson would always "go to the mats, jump up and toss the shoes inside the middle of the hole. 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 a report released by Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk. The lawsuit alleged that the defendants were negligent and violated Johnson's constitutional right to equal protection based on race. The public was horrified by the photo and began to rally around the Johnsons in their quest for the truth. The police took videotape from the school and could see him entering the gym, but they havent released video that shows anything else. 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 in Lowndes High School in Valdosta, Georgia, 17-year-old Kendrick Johnson was found dead, rolled up inside a large gym mat. In 2015, the Johnson familyfiled a wrongful death lawsuit against siblings Brian and Branden Bell, and another student, Ryan Hall, who they have said they suspect are to blame in the teenager'sdeath. (@tomjones161 via twitter) The Lowndes County Sheriff's Office is insisting. [12], A subsequent investigation by the Georgia Secretary of State's office found that the funeral home did not follow "best practice" and that other material was "more acceptable than newspaper." Did you encounter any technical issues? Paulk estimated it might take six months to process everything. They purchased this from an individual and he did not give them his true name. Johnson's head was pointed toward the floor in the. TheLowndes County Sheriffs Office reopened Kendricks case last March. In 2015, the Johnson family filed a wrongful death suit against brothers Brian and Branden Bell, and another peer, Ryan Hall, who they allege are responsible for Kendrick Johnsons death. However, these things really happen in the world. The Lowndes County Sheriff's Office closed its initial investigation into Kendrick Johnson's death on May 2, 2013, nearly four months after the 17-year-old was found in the school gym in Valdosta. 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. 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. "[26] After Moore resigned in 2015,[27] the case was transferred to the Northern District of Ohio under U.S. Attorney Steven Dettelbach. We have a good picture of him and a pretty good description. 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. 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. in Georgiais now being vetted by authorities, police said this week. 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. Then, in 2014, Kendrick Johnsons parents filed a wrongful death suit against the schools officials, alleging that Johnson had been harassed by a white student which went neglected by the school, perhaps due to his race. Verifying the tapes authenticity is indispensable, he added. [21] Other missing footage was the result of the camera's motion-activated function not being triggered. This is how you roll in Valdosta, Jackie Johnson said. 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. "[18] The Johnson family subsequently filed a civil lawsuit against the funeral home, seeking monetary damages. Thing is, he wasnt just found dead. The next day, a teacher found his body inside one of the rolled-up wrestling mats. But investigators quickly closed their case on the theory that Johnson had simply fallen into the mat while reaching for one of his sneakers. Johnsons family, however, said they areconfident the 25-second audio clip is authentic and that it could lead to criminal charges in the case. Paulk also claimed a camera in the gymnasium which apparently shows Johnson before his death was realigned 13 months earlier. But Johnsons parents would still not give up. Kendrick Johnsons parents hoped that with the results of this third autopsy, the surveillance footage which they were convinced had been tampered with, and the mishandling of evidence at the scene, would be enough to reopen their sons case. R.I.P Kendrick Johnson Facebook PageKendrick Johnsons casket was unearthed for a second time for a third autopsy. You are not on the team of righteousness, Jackie Johnson said. 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. NY Daily News/Valdosta/Lowndes Regional Crime Labratory via CNN. I do not, he replied. 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 am quite sure that there will still be a contingent that will believe there was foul play, he wrote. "[34] On August 10, 2017, Georgia Judge Richard Porter ruled that Johnson's family and their attorney had to pay more than $292,000 in legal fees to the dozens of respondents in their civil suit, writing "testimony shows that they had no evidence to support their claims that the [brothers] killed Johnson or that any of the other defendants engaged in a conspiracy to conceal the cause or manner of Johnson's death. The request, however, was denied, even though the coroner Bill Watson had originally expressed a lack of confidence in the Sheriff Departments handling of the case. 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. A coach found out he was dead. For years, however, the teenager's family has insisted the 17-year-old was murdered and that investigators actively worked to . They also reported that the blood had likely been there for a long time. According to Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk, If theres questions and theyre legitimate I need to know the answers myself. 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 was a three-sport athlete and dreamed of playing professional football. We dont know whether its credible or not, hesaid. 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. The group is. 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. All That's Interesting is a Brooklyn-based digital publisher that seeks out stories that illuminate the past, present, and future. FacebookKendrick Johnson with his mother. The post Kendrick Johnsons case closed after authorities say no crime found appeared first on TheGrio. 'Finding Kendrick Johnson' Documentary Shows Facts, Not Conspiracies Crime 'Somebody Knows' What Happened: Doc Filmmaker Speaks on Case About Georgia Teen Found Dead Inside a Gym Mat Finding. We already knew what team you were on. Kendrick was found dead in a gym mat in 2013. "Theres still a lot of questions people want answered.". Nobody wants Kendrick to get justice. 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. "If it's a hoax, it's a very, very cruel hoax to do to Mrs. Johnson," he said. [26] Jim Elliott, the Lowndes County Attorney, stated that the allegations were "unfounded" and "baseless" and that any response would be made in court. 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