WAR-MATT 2 Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Link BENNDALE, Miss. – Billey Joe Johnson Sr. opens the driver’s-side door of his dead son’s Silverado and begins to examine some of the leftover splatter. It clings to the dashboard, leeches out of air conditioning vents. Some of it even found a resting place on the truck’s exterior. “There goes a hunk of meat right there,†the father said, pointing to a nickel-sized fragment of his son’s brain. “How’d it get over here?†In the back seat, a geometry book rests next to camouflage clothing and empty boxes of buckshot. Billey Joe Johnson Jr. often woke up at 4 a.m. to hunt before heading to George County High School, where everyone knew him as the football star who would escape crushing rural poverty by running from it. Piles of recruiting letters litter the back seat, the remnants of life as one of the most sought-after running backs in the Class of 2010. Alabama wanted Billey Joe. So did Notre Dame. And dozens of other schools. He was ready to commit to Auburn. By many accounts Billey Joe was a popular, big-dreaming, clean-living kid. So it’s no wonder his father stands in the yard next to a single-wide trailer, trying to play forensic expert. Searching – like many in this rural community – for answers about who shot his son. Sheriff’s incident reports and radio reports. Local authorities stopped Billey Joe for a traffic violation on the morning of Dec. 8, and they say the truck is simply the site of a terrible tragedy. But to the elder Johnson, it’s a crime scene. Nearly two months later, only one fact is certain: Instead of running out of George County as a football hero, Billey Joe was buried beneath it at the age of 17. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnwegl 11 Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Link BENNDALE, Miss. – Billey Joe Johnson Sr. opens the driver’s-side door of his dead son’s Silverado and begins to examine some of the leftover splatter. It clings to the dashboard, leeches out of air conditioning vents. Some of it even found a resting place on the truck’s exterior. “There goes a hunk of meat right there,†the father said, pointing to a nickel-sized fragment of his son’s brain. “How’d it get over here?†In the back seat, a geometry book rests next to camouflage clothing and empty boxes of buckshot. Billey Joe Johnson Jr. often woke up at 4 a.m. to hunt before heading to George County High School, where everyone knew him as the football star who would escape crushing rural poverty by running from it. Piles of recruiting letters litter the back seat, the remnants of life as one of the most sought-after running backs in the Class of 2010. Alabama wanted Billey Joe. So did Notre Dame. And dozens of other schools. He was ready to commit to Auburn. By many accounts Billey Joe was a popular, big-dreaming, clean-living kid. So it’s no wonder his father stands in the yard next to a single-wide trailer, trying to play forensic expert. Searching – like many in this rural community – for answers about who shot his son. Sheriff’s incident reports and radio reports. Local authorities stopped Billey Joe for a traffic violation on the morning of Dec. 8, and they say the truck is simply the site of a terrible tragedy. But to the elder Johnson, it’s a crime scene. Nearly two months later, only one fact is certain: Instead of running out of George County as a football hero, Billey Joe was buried beneath it at the age of 17. Sad, but did the article have to go into so much graphic details? it was like listening to one of those drivers ed. videos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
autigeremt 7,208 Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 I thought the same thing.....WOW! I haven't read an article like that unless it was in a book....just WOW! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldNewby 27 Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Very sad and tragic. So young, so full of promise, so loved by his family. Because I could not stop for Death, He kindly stopped for me … Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CCTAU 3,536 Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Does this really sound like anything other than a depressed young man. His girl wouldn't come to the door. He tried to break in. Probably suspects she called the cops. He gets pulled over. There goes AU, football, pros. And his parents were counting on him. Young people do not normally see the world as a whole. They have that one little snippet and it seems really big. Sometimes too big. I would be surprised if foul play comes into this. If this kid had been white, it would be just another teenage tragedy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auwallace 6 Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Does this really sound like anything other than a depressed young man. His girl wouldn't come to the door. He tried to break in. Probably suspects she called the cops. He gets pulled over. There goes AU, football, pros. And his parents were counting on him. Young people do not normally see the world as a whole. They have that one little snippet and it seems really big. Sometimes too big. I would be surprised if foul play comes into this. If this kid had been white, it would be just another teenage tragedy. you stay classy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbagab 0 Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 This screams Foul play.... first of all go try and put a shotgun barrel in your mouth, its pretty hard to do secondly, lets assume he really did want to shoot himself in the mouth with a shotgun.... I would imagine that the shotgun wasnt in the front seat when the Cop pulled him over... so you are telling me a cop wouldnt see someone reaching over in his back seat to grab a shotgun lastly its rural mississippi.... he is black and was dating a white girl who probably is pretty cute, and the people in town just didnt like that( including the cop that pulled him over)... so he knew he could do this and probably get away with it... my friends, it is no secret... Racism is alive and well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ziggyg 2 Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 This screams Foul play.... first of all go try and put a shotgun barrel in your mouth, its pretty hard to do secondly, lets assume he really did want to shoot himself in the mouth with a shotgun.... I would imagine that the shotgun wasnt in the front seat when the Cop pulled him over... so you are telling me a cop wouldnt see someone reaching over in his back seat to grab a shotgun lastly its rural mississippi.... he is black and was dating a white girl who probably is pretty cute, and the people in town just didnt like that( including the cop that pulled him over)... so he knew he could do this and probably get away with it... my friends, it is no secret... Racism is alive and well I agree 100%. There is something going on with this that doesnt meet eye if you read whole story. There is some backwood MS racial issues all over this story. I would like to think it was clean cut but I could very easilt see this being set up. Maybe not the cop shooting him but maybe girls daddy or one cops poker buddies in white coats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDrewYouKnew 3 Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Does this really sound like anything other than a depressed young man. His girl wouldn't come to the door. He tried to break in. Probably suspects she called the cops. He gets pulled over. There goes AU, football, pros. And his parents were counting on him. Young people do not normally see the world as a whole. They have that one little snippet and it seems really big. Sometimes too big. I would be surprised if foul play comes into this. If this kid had been white, it would be just another teenage tragedy. you stay classy classy > honest? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wishbone 0 Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 This screams Foul play.... first of all go try and put a shotgun barrel in your mouth, its pretty hard to do secondly, lets assume he really did want to shoot himself in the mouth with a shotgun.... I would imagine that the shotgun wasnt in the front seat when the Cop pulled him over... so you are telling me a cop wouldnt see someone reaching over in his back seat to grab a shotgun lastly its rural mississippi.... he is black and was dating a white girl who probably is pretty cute, and the people in town just didnt like that( including the cop that pulled him over)... so he knew he could do this and probably get away with it... my friends, it is no secret... Racism is alive and well Somebody's believed too many movies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ziggyg 2 Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 This screams Foul play.... first of all go try and put a shotgun barrel in your mouth, its pretty hard to do secondly, lets assume he really did want to shoot himself in the mouth with a shotgun.... I would imagine that the shotgun wasnt in the front seat when the Cop pulled him over... so you are telling me a cop wouldnt see someone reaching over in his back seat to grab a shotgun lastly its rural mississippi.... he is black and was dating a white girl who probably is pretty cute, and the people in town just didnt like that( including the cop that pulled him over)... so he knew he could do this and probably get away with it... my friends, it is no secret... Racism is alive and well Somebody's believed too many movies. Not that i would want to but there is no way i could put my shotgun in mouth and and be able reach and pull trigger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bojack34 2 Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 This screams Foul play.... first of all go try and put a shotgun barrel in your mouth, its pretty hard to do secondly, lets assume he really did want to shoot himself in the mouth with a shotgun.... I would imagine that the shotgun wasnt in the front seat when the Cop pulled him over... so you are telling me a cop wouldnt see someone reaching over in his back seat to grab a shotgun lastly its rural mississippi.... he is black and was dating a white girl who probably is pretty cute, and the people in town just didnt like that( including the cop that pulled him over)... so he knew he could do this and probably get away with it... my friends, it is no secret... Racism is alive and well Somebody's believed too many movies. Not that i would want to but there is no way i could put my shotgun in mouth and and be able reach and pull trigger I am not dumb enough to believe that racism is a thing of the past. I work with people everyday who are still closet racist. Times have changed but some people still live in the past. I work with both white and black racist people. I have spent quite a lot of time in the rural areas of Mississippi and know a bunch of people that still live there. Believe me racism is still very much alive in certain areas of Mississippi. I also know there are certain places in Alabama that is the same way. I use to deer hunt in a place near Wadley and I have been told by some of the locals just how bad it still is in their neck of the woods. I don't know if this kid was a victim of racism or not but don't be foolish enough to think the days of Mississippi Burning are in the past. He could have very easily put the shotgun in his mouth and pulled the trigger as well. I own 2 very old shotguns and although I would never do it I do know you can put the barrel in your mouth and still reach the trigger. Either way it is sad that a kid with his whole life ahead of him is gone. Remember this? Trial begins for man accused of torching high schoolMONTGOMERY, Alabama (CNN)-- It was an eventful first day in the trial of an Alabama man charged with setting fire to Randolph County High School in Wedowee last year. U.S. Attorney David Allred said Christopher Lynn Johnson, whose father led protests against Randolph County High School, was caught up in his father's rhetoric and set fire to the school in opposition to the school's white leadership. He also told the jury that prosecutors had secretly tape-recorded conversations in which Johnson, a 25-year-old poultry worker, admits to setting the fire. The school was destroyed at a time of heightened racial tension in the eastern Alabama town. In February 1994, school principle Hulond Humphries, a white man, threatened to cancel the spring prom if interracial couples planned to attend. Humphries also allegedly called a mixed-race teen- ager a "mistake." When Humphries was not disciplined for his remarks, blacks held protest marches and mass meetings and set up an alternative school. The U.S. Justice Department later charged the school board with racial discrimination in federal court. The school board was forced to settle with the teenager for $25,000 in a civil rights suit. Humphries was reassigned. Then, in August, the school burned to the ground. If convicted, Johnson would face up to 20 years in prison and $250,000 in fines for arson, plus 10 years in prison and $250,000 in fines for possessing an unregistered destructive device. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auwallace 6 Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 how was this not another tragic teenage story? also if you guys think the whole story is being told then your crazy. Not saying the cop is at fault but there is cause to be suspicious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bojack34 2 Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 how was this not another tragic teenage story? also if you guys think the whole story is being told then your crazy. Not saying the cop is at fault but there is cause to be suspicious. After reading the whole article I now have even more suspicion. The way the officer supposedly handled the situation leaves a lot of questions to be answered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vatz22au 142 Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 how was this not another tragic teenage story? also if you guys think the whole story is being told then your crazy. Not saying the cop is at fault but there is cause to be suspicious. After reading the whole article I now have even more suspicion. The way the officer supposedly handled the situation leaves a lot of questions to be answered. I'm not a cop... but after the following scenario of being called in, running a red light, etc... would you not ask if there was a weapon in the truck? Would the officer not ask the suspect to step out of the car? Also, how could you not see the shotgun as you approached the truck? I think the reason why the story included the harsh details in the beginning was because of the placement of the remains in the truck... doesn't match. Too many questions marks on this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bojack34 2 Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 how was this not another tragic teenage story? also if you guys think the whole story is being told then your crazy. Not saying the cop is at fault but there is cause to be suspicious. After reading the whole article I now have even more suspicion. The way the officer supposedly handled the situation leaves a lot of questions to be answered. I'm not a cop... but after the following scenario of being called in, running a red light, etc... would you not ask if there was a weapon in the truck? Would the officer not ask the suspect to step out of the car? Also, how could you not see the shotgun as you approached the truck? I think the reason why the story included the harsh details in the beginning was because of the placement of the remains in the truck... doesn't match. Too many questions marks on this one. With them sending the truck back to the family with the remains of the kids skull fragments it almost sounds like they were sending a message to the family and maybe even others. Intimidation tactic? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bottomfeeder 244 Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 I think he was murdered too. I was in that backwards-ass town talking to relatives over Christmas, and they still use the N-word without reservation. Their supposed to christians/holy rollers, but I think there is only one among them that has a pure heart (I though christians weren't supposed to be racists, LOL). Anyway, they say he was on steroids and that caused him to go off. And, they say he committed suicide, but my gut tells me he was murdered. My gut doesn't lie. Hasn't yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldNewby 27 Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 I think he was murdered too. I was in that backwards-ass town talking to relatives over Christmas, and they still use the N-word without reservation Their supposed to christians/holy rollers, but I think there is only one among them that has a pure heart (I though christians weren't supposed to be racists, LOL). Anyway, they say he was on steroids and that casued him to go off. And, they say he committed suicide, but my gut tells me he was murdered. My gut doesn't lie. Hasn't yet. NO STEROIDS! His friends swear he never drank or did drugs, a claim backed by a toxicology report that also found no trace of steroids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auwallace 6 Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 btw, if the officer pulled him over for a traffic stop, shouldn't the cruiser have been in place to video the entire thing on his dash cam? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CCTAU 3,536 Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 btw, if the officer pulled him over for a traffic stop, shouldn't the cruiser have been in place to video the entire thing on his dash cam? It was a backwoods racist redneck town. The cruiser did not have a camera. Reading should be a requirement before posting. Sullivan’s patrol car was not equipped with a camera, and his is the only account of the event. Billey Joe’s friends and family don’t believe the story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auwallace 6 Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 my bad........... iI guess i'm guilty of bad reading and assumption but i thought cameras on cop cars were pretty standard these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wishbone 0 Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 Is this thread for real??? Are you guys so cow whiped that you bend over and spead it for every black story that comes around??? Pathetic. Grow some balls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TigerHeat 9 Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 This screams Foul play.... first of all go try and put a shotgun barrel in your mouth, its pretty hard to do secondly, lets assume he really did want to shoot himself in the mouth with a shotgun.... I would imagine that the shotgun wasnt in the front seat when the Cop pulled him over... so you are telling me a cop wouldnt see someone reaching over in his back seat to grab a shotgun lastly its rural mississippi.... he is black and was dating a white girl who probably is pretty cute, and the people in town just didnt like that( including the cop that pulled him over)... so he knew he could do this and probably get away with it... my friends, it is no secret... Racism is alive and well I have seen at least 25 shotgun suicides. It's not physically hard at all. You imagine the shotgun wasn't in the front seat....why? Where was it? The gas tank? You imagined that. Everyone loves a silly conspiracy with a racist cop. People don't ever just kill themselves. click for racist police story Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TigerHeat 9 Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 my bad........... iI guess i'm guilty of bad reading and assumption but i thought cameras on cop cars were pretty standard these days. There's a whole lot of "assuming" going on in this thread. A lot of people are willing to hang a guy they don't know based on facts they don't know that dealt with a guy they don't know doing things they don't know told by people they don't know talking about things they don't knowm for profit. There's a whole lot of don't knows based on news reports. Really accurate, since the only guy that does know can't say much. I could demolish the story line by line, but I have a life to live. You want to hate on the cops....whatever. Racism and murder sell news. Don't be such sheep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TigerHeat 9 Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 I think he was murdered too. I was in that backwards-ass town talking to relatives over Christmas, and they still use the N-word without reservation Their supposed to christians/holy rollers, but I think there is only one among them that has a pure heart (I though christians weren't supposed to be racists, LOL). Anyway, they say he was on steroids and that casued him to go off. And, they say he committed suicide, but my gut tells me he was murdered. My gut doesn't lie. Hasn't yet. Does your gut have any good stock tips for us? I need a sure thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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