D.A. Asks For Public’s Patience

Lucedale George County D.A. Lawrence on football players death: "it is still too early to make any conclusion as to the manner of death."

by WKRG Staff

Published: Fri, December 19, 2008 - 4:50 pm CST Last Updated: Fri, December 19, 2008 - 11:16 pm CST

In a press release sent out Friday afternoon about the death of Billey Joe Johnson, District Attorney Anthony Lawrence asks the public for patience. "Please let the forensics scientists do their job and once the investigation is complete, maybe we will have the answers" Lawrence said. Many questions surround the death of the George County High School running-back. The District Attorney says he spoke with the Johnson family this past Monday and told them he is committed to a thorough and complete investigation. He cautions anyone from making speculations and rumors, saying "it is still too early to make any conclusions as to the manner of death."

At the press conference Friday afternoon, Lawrence released the incident report on the case.
The incident report filed by a Lucedale Police officer says Johnson was pulled over by a George County Sheriff's Deputy after he was identified while apparently attempting to break into a home on Lamar St. in Lucedale. The officer states in the report that when he arrived on scene where the deputy had pulled Johnson over Johnson's body was "lying on the ground outside the driver's side door with a shotgun lying on top of him and blood around his head." Click here to read the District Attorney's press release, the incident report and dispatchers log on the case.

The wake for Billy Joe Johnson is from 6 pm. to 9 p.m. Friday at Cowan Funeral Home in Lucedale. The funeral will be at the George County Middle School gym Saturday at 11 a.m.

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BamaBob Says:

Wed, Jan 07, 2009 at 9:03 am

An update in the SunHerald says they still have not completed the autopsy. Does that sound normal? Just how long does it take to do an autopsy on a young, healthy guy with a massive head wound?

http://www.sunherald.com/201/story/1050689.html

southfan1981 Says:

Wed, Dec 24, 2008 at 11:48 am

GC, that does make sense. I don’t know about your friend, but since my husband is over six and a half feet tall, his arm span is 7 feet. He can do that easily. A right handed person, even stretching would aim the barrel towards the left parietal or even occipital region.

BamaBob Says:

Wed, Dec 24, 2008 at 11:40 am

Someone over at the Sun Herald comment thing said the same about the gun in the mouth. I just don’t think that would leave a small exit wound behind the left ear. At very close range like that other things go on with a shotgun blast beyond the size of the shot, or pellets. The wadding and the powder cup would also hit the target. Plus, the gases coming out of the barrel would be concentrated in a very small, confined space, which would more or less cause an explosion in the mouth cavity.

This business about the ex-girlfriend being connected to the sheriff’s office would be extremely suspicious, if true.

GCNATIVE Says:

Wed, Dec 24, 2008 at 11:24 am

Bama, I heard today that a person at the scene (not an officer) has said that it looked to him as if BJ had put the barrel in his mouth and fired. A fellow employee of mine, made sure his shotgun was unloaded, and tried this. He said it was no problem to reach the trigger.

DEW26M Says:

Wed, Dec 24, 2008 at 11:11 am

BAMABOB, me and you stated from the first hour, that this case smelled fishy. Obviously our first impressions has stood in the minds of others also. I have a feeling this case is going to lead to the downfall of some Officers in that area. I can’t wait to see the outcome. This young man had so much going for him.
__

MERRY CHRISTMAS to YOU and YOURS

BamaBob Says:

Wed, Dec 24, 2008 at 11:04 am

I don’t think this story is going away any time soon. There is a somewhat explosive story in an online Chicago publication this morning that give the impression that several suspicious things might have been going on that morning.

http://www.chicagodefender.com/article-2798-naacp-investigates-h.html

BamaBob Says:

Sat, Dec 20, 2008 at 4:54 pm

Well, on this gray afternoon I spent my time looking through MySpace accounts and found Billey Joe’s. His is private, but on the front page his last comment was on Dec. 7th “!Best RB in th nation~ bout to get a shower an waitin on savannah to get outta church” and he set his mood as romantic.

Does that sound like a rejected, sucidal kid with no where to turn?

Something just ain’t right with all of this…....

BamaBob Says:

Sat, Dec 20, 2008 at 8:26 am

It is weird to e that there is supposedly one single entry wound behind the guy’s left ear and the driver’s side window shattered. How can anyone make any sense of that?

BamaBob Says:

Sat, Dec 20, 2008 at 8:22 am

The kid’s funeral is this morning. I hope that goes well.