Billy Joe Case Goes to Grand Jury

UPDATE (2/12) -- The grand jury decision expected Wednesday will be made today.

During the early afternoon today South Mississippi residents are expected to learn what decision was made by a grand jury hearing evidence concerning the untimely death of teenager Billey Joe Johnson Jr. 

The circumstances of the Dec. 8, 2008, death of the high school football standout has caused racial tension among Lucedale residents where the star athlete had once been a source of pride and community spirit for students at George County High and residents across that county and South Mississippi.

National media attention has focused on the case, and interest in the investigation has stirred community action groups both local and across the country.  

Comments on South Mississippi and regional media outlets have ranged from deep sadness and hurt for and because of the family and their legal actions following Johnson's death, to downright hateful and mean name-calling from some spouting racists remarks about Johnson and the civil rights organization also investigating the circumstances of the Benndale teen's death.   

Billey Joe, 17, died of a gun shot to the head after being stopped by a Lucedale police officer. He said Johnson was pulled over after failing to stop for a red light and a stop sign. The officer has said he was in the process of making a call to the police station when he heard the gun go off.

Lucedale Police Chief Garry Welford has surmised that Johnson possibly died of a self-inflicted wound, though the chief has also speculated that the gunshot could have been an accident. 

Johnson's family members have said they do not believe their relative killed himself.  His parents, Billey Joe Sr. and mother Annette, have said he had too much to live for, and was preparing to attend Auburn University. 

The parents sought attorney Jerome Carter of Alabama and the NAACP, asking local chapter Pesident Willie Gaines and Jackson County-Moss Point Chapter President Curley Clark to investigate.  An independent autopsy has concluded Billey Joe Johnson Jr. did not kill himself.

Clark has said the death was either an accident or a homicide. 

Regional District Attorney Tony Lawrence has held news conferences and meetings with the media and Johnson's family to squash wildfire rumors about the death, and to assure Johnson's family and the public that the case was being thoroughly investigated. 

Days after Johnson's death the case became cloudy and more circumspect after the public learned Johnson was in legal trouble at the time he died on Mississippi 26.  Just prior to the traffic pullover, Billey Joe had been identified as the suspect in a reported burglary attempt at the home of his former girlfriend, according to information gained from the public. 

The female student, who attends George County High, and her mother were reportedly on their way to file charges against the Johnson during the early morning hours, sometime before 6 a.m. 

Family, friends, local and national groups gathered at the George County Courthouse on Feb. 10 as a grand jury hearing convened on the case. Their decision is expected about 1:30 p.m. today. 

__________________________________________________________________

Information for this posting at memoriesalways.blogspot.com has appeared in broadcast, print and online media outlets across South Mississippi and South Alabama, as well as regional and national publications. Followers of memoriesalways should access news links available at this posting and other media sources either unlisted or unknown to the author of this original report.