Truth in the Death of Billey Joe Johnson - Suicide or Murder-by-Cop?

Billey Joe Johnson

Soulclap to African American Pundit for informing us about the murky circumstances regarding the death of 17-year old Billey Joe Johnson. Billey was a star football player with a bright future in December 2009 when he was stopped for a traffic violation by George County (MS) deputy sheriff Joe Sullivan. At this point we only have one side of the story -- Sullivan's patrol car did not have a camera and the young victim in this story is dead.

The George County Sheriff’s Department claims that on that fateful morning, Billey Joe attempted to break into the home of an on-again, off-again girlfriend in the nearby city of Lucedale. According to the sheriff’s department, he left the scene and ran a red light at 5:34 a.m. After a 1½-mile pursuit, Billey Joe got out of his truck, met sheriff’s deputy Joe Sullivan and handed over his license. Then Billey Joe returned to his truck, put a 12-gauge shotgun he used to target deer to his head and committed suicide. It was 5:40 a.m.

Billey Joe’s friends and family don’t believe the story. His father is convinced someone forced Billey Joe on his knees, shoved the shotgun barrel in his mouth and pulled the trigger. [SOURCE]

“They must’ve tortured my baby,” Billey Johnson, Sr. says.

Community members (and others)are renewing their efforts because Johnson’s death and subsequent investigations leave more questions than answers. Given the long history of corruption and cover-ups in George County law enforcement, many community members feel law enforcement and the District Attorney’s office colluded to execute a wide spread cover-up. Community members also point to what they call a pattern of racial profiling and the use of fear and intimidation on behalf of law enforcement.

“Law enforcement’s investigation left a lot of holes and many of us believe there was foul play. Because of the amount of discrimination we experience every day, we have little faith in the local justice system,” said Mr. Bobby Perryman of Immaculate Heart Community Development Corporation.

Johnson’s family is calling on the Lucedale community to come forward with information about the case and believe many have stayed quiet for fear of retribution or being shunned by friends and family members.

“Nobody wants to tell on their neighbor, but the fact is that a young man was killed and his family and this community need closure,” said Pastor Garrett of Prince Garrett Ministries. 

George County is a very small community and is still very segregated. A few large families and their extended networks own most of the businesses and play influential roles in city and county government. George County, where the incident occurred, is 89% white with very few Black residents.

“We know there are good folks in George County who have knowledge about the incident. We know you are afraid but we need you to come forward. Black or white - none of us are free when there is a suspicion of murder,” Garrett added.

“We are tired of the corruption, the cover-ups and the abuse we suffer at the hands of police,” said Ms. Lucy Wilson, President of the Human Rights Taskforce of George County. The Human Rights Taskforce was established as a result of the travesty of justice felt by many around the Johnson case as well as growing tensions between the Black community and law enforcement.

The young teenager died over a year ago ... and yet there still isn't closure for the family or the community.  This blog is hopeful that a true investigation would sort out fact from rumor. But we can't be sure that Johnson's family will get the investigation it deserves. In the case of the Jena 6 we saw a District Attorney and a judge incapable of carrying out justice in a racially charged environment. In the recent case of the murder of Oscar Grant by police (and many like it), we see how unlikely it is for District Attorneys to do their job when the suspect is an officer of the law. But in both these cases, public pressure has made all the difference by shining a spotlight on local authorities.

In the case of Billey Joe Johnson, we're looking for the truth and for justice.  I encourage all villagers to take a minute of your time to help ensure his family get both.


Please let us know if you learn of any new information.   Suicide?  or Murder?

Tune In Tuesday: Zapp featuring Roger Troutman

Roger Troutman and his brothers made up the heart of a remarkable band known as Zapp. The band is still touring today. The Troutman family is from just down the road in Hamilton, Ohio.

I first heard Zapp while I was in college when they came out with a song called More Bounce to the Ounce. As a radio disc jockey we played the heck outta More Bounce. Folks could not get enough of the bass, the beat or Roger's talk box sound.

It will come as know surprise to those who know me that my favorite song by Zapp was a ditty called 'Computer Love'





But the Zapp saga is about more than music. During the height of their popularity, the Troutmans put scores of low-income families into houses they built from the ground up in their hometown of Dayton, Ohio. They maintained a drug-free, hard-working ethic that separated them from many of their peers.

All of that came crashing down on April 25, 1999 when, to everyone's shock, Larry Troutman shot his brother Roger to death, then turned the gun on himself. Suicide rearing its ugly head in the Black community.

The entire story of Zapp is shared in a recent episode of TV One's "Unsung". I encourage all villagers with TV One access to watch this episode. I didn't realize that so many Roger beats were sampled by hip-hop stars like Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, 2Pac and others.

His top individual hit was 'I Want to Be Your Man'




I hope that you enjoyed this week's Tune In Tuesday meme. Please take a moment to share your enduring memory of Roger Troutman and Zapp.

Sunday Inspirations: Phyllis Hyman

I've been watching a number of the 'Unsung' episodes put together by TV-One over the past 3-4 years. This morning I watched their documentary of Phyllis Hyman. She had a remarkable career, however, she was subject of an 'Unsung' episode because her career never reached the heights that her talent could (should?) have taken her.

Isn't that what many of us think ... don't many of us think that we could (should?) be doing so much more than we've done. Of course, at some level we know that our current station is life is based on the choices and behaviors and actions that we've taken to this point. Perhaps it is best for all of us to take a moment to 'Remember Who We Are':





Phyllis Hyman committed suicide in 1995. I continue to be troubled by the large numbers of African Americans that are committing suicide in this country ... and the issue is rarely, if ever, discussed. I suspect that many villagers know someone personally who has committed suicide. I hope you realize that you're not alone.





Phyllis Hyman (1951-1995) -- May she rest in peace.

Tune In Tuesday: Donny Hathaway

TV-One is airing a series called Unsung. It provides a 1-hour biography into the life and times of unsung African Americans in the music industry. I encourage any villager with TV-One access to find a way to watch or tape these shows.

The first one that I saw was about Donny Hathaway (1945-1979). Donny Hathaway was a soul singer in the early 70s with much promise: unfortunately he suffered from depression, which limited his own creative output and led to his suicide at the age of just 33. I'm becoming convinced that suicide is a bigger problem in the Black community than we let on.

Anyhow, Donny was considered a musical genius by those who knew him well. He started out as a songwriter, pianist, arranger and producer for the likes of Aretha Franklin, Curtis Mayfield, the Staple Singers and Jerry Butler, among others.

He soon signed to Atco and released a debut solo single, "The Ghetto Pt. 1", which wasn't a success but is now highly regarded by soul historians.



In 1970 he released his classic debut album, Everything Is Everything, which showcased his wonderful voice on the gospel "Thank You Master (For My Soul)", and the emerging social consciousness of soul music in "Tryin' Times".

His second, self-titled album was a disappointing covers record, but he followed it with an epic Live album that stands as one of the best live soul records ever. He followed this with a duets album with close friend Roberta Flack and a third studio album Extension of a Man in 1973.

He suffered from bouts of severe depression and was diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic which led to a deterioration of his relationships including Flack, and they did not record together again until "The Closer I Get To You".

I became a college radio disc jockey in 1979 ... and one of the first songs that I grew to love to play during my set were "The Closer I Get to You and "Back Together Again".




Do you have any memories or thoughts about Donny Hathaway that you care to share?

Tune In Tuesday: Billie Holiday and Johnny Cash

In our lives we hunger for those we cannot touch
All the thoughts unuttered & all the feelings unexpressed
Play upon our hearts like the mist upon our breath
But, awoken by grief, our spirits speak





My heart is heavy today. I've experienced a loss that is difficult to deal with in many ways. Johnny Cash put my Hurt to music many years ago:




I encourage all villagers to take a moment today to reach out to someone that you haven't talked to in a long time ... someone that you feel needs to hear from you. Even if that person isn't receptive ... reach out again ... and again. Never stop trying to make a human connection. I've learned that you can regret the things you don't do as much as the things you do.

Rest in peace little sister.

Another Taser Death in America -- Derrek Kairney (Connecticut)

Derrek Kairney is a 36-year old man who died after been shocked with 50,000 volts of electricity from a police officer on June 20, 2009. The powers-to-be completed an autopsy in less than 48 hours over the weekend. When is the last time you've seen an autopsy report issued so quickly?

Anyhow, the autopsy report claims that the man died in a suicide. Apparently, the man stabbed himself with a knife ... and after he died, the police shot him with a taser gun. What the heck caused the police to use a taser gun on this guy? Doesn't it seem that the police are pulling out the taser gun for recreational target shooting more than for its intended purpose?

Police call this an 'untimely death'. They say Kairney confronted them when they responded to a call to a home on Birch Road. They ordered him to drop the knife, but he refused and police electrocuted him with a Taser.

There is something not-quite-right about this taser-related death. What say u?

A Parent's Worst Nightmare: The Real Story Behind Carl Walker-Hoover's Suicide

Essence Magazine interviewed Carl Walker-Hoover's mother this week. Just a few days shy of Carl's twelfth birthday (April 17), his mother is speaking out. Astonishingly calm and with great resolve, Sirdeaner Walker spoke to ESSENCE.com about what she believes the school did wrong, Carl's final days and the question that will forever loom in her mind — why?

ESSENCE.COM: You've received a lot of support from the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network. Do you believe Carl was struggling with his sexuality?

WALKER: No, there was no indication of that. Carl was just 11 years old. I don't even think he reached puberty yet. His voice hadn't started to change. This is bigger than a gay issue. In fact, I'm worried about one of Carl's friends who is being picked on as well because she's overweight. That's why it's bigger than a gay issue. These kids will tease you over anything.

ESSENCE.COM: What happened on the day Carl died?

WALKER: Usually I drive Carl to the bus stop, but that morning I had an early conference call at work. When I got home that evening, he was sitting on the couch with his backpack. He has a big, rolling backpack that apparently knocked into a TV stand in his classroom that day. Carl told me that the TV [accidently] hit a student and she went off saying, "I'm going to kill you." And that's how it started. Carl came home very upset thinking he was going to be suspended. I started making supper and then he just went upstairs. I called his name and he didn't answer me. I went up to get him and that's when I found him.

Read the rest of the interview.

If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please reach out for help. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline toll-free number is 800.273-8255).

Carl Walker-Hoover's Mom Speaks on Suicide and the School Yard Bully

The Advocate shared an exclusive interview with Sirdeaner Walker, the mother of Carl Walker-Hoover, the 11-year-old student who killed himself last week following relentless bullying at school:

On April 6, Sirdeaner Walker came home, walked up the stairs to the second floor of her home, and saw her son suspended from a support beam in the stairwell, swaying slightly in the air, an extension cord wrapped around his neck, according to police. He apologized in a suicide note, told his mother that he loved her, and left his video games to his brother.

Walker said her son had been the victim of bullying since the beginning of the school year, and that she had been calling the school since September, complaining that her son was mercilessly teased. He played football, baseball, and was a boy scout, but a group of classmates called him gay and teased him about the way he dressed. They ridiculed him for going to church with his mother and for volunteering locally.

"It's not just a gay issue," Walker said. "It’s bigger. He was 11 years old, and he wasn't aware of his sexuality. These homophobic people attach derogatory terms to a child who’s 11 years old, who goes to church, school, and the library, and he becomes confused. He thinks, Maybe I'm like this. Maybe I'm not. What do I do?"

Days prior to Carl Walker-Hoover's suicide, he confronted a female bully who verbally accosted him... serving as a catalyst to his suicide. The school’s response was to have the two students sit beside one another during lunch for the next week to encourage conversation.

Carl's mom is demanding action from the school. Perhaps it is time for each of us to look at our own situation to ensure that there aren't any young 'uns experiencing this inner turmoil in our own neighborhoods.

What say u?

RIP: Carl Walker-Hoover (1997-2009)

Carl Walker-Hoover is the 11-year old child who committed suicide last week because he couldn't see a way out of his dispair. His funeral was held yesterday.

I encourage Villagers to read his obituary and sign the virtual guestbook.

Why Did 11-Year Old Carl Walker-Hoover Hang Himself by an Extension Cord?

There are some stories that turn my stomach. This is one of them.

An 11-year-old Massachusetts boy, Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover, hung himself earlier this week after enduring bullying at school, including daily taunts of being gay, despite his mother’s weekly pleas to the school to address the problem. She said she found her son, a sixth-grader at the school, hanging by an extension cord upstairs at their home.

This is at least the fourth suicide of a middle-school aged child linked to bullying this year. The other three known cases of suicide among middle-school students took place in Chatham, Evanston and Chicago, Ill., in the month of February.

Carl, a junior at New Leadership Charter School in Springfield who did not identify as gay, would have turned 12 on April 17, the same day hundreds of thousands of students will participate in the 13th annual National Day of Silence by taking some form of a vow of silence to bring attention to anti-LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) bullying and harassment at school.

Vigil for Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover

Villagers, does this story bother you as much as me? According to the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the rate of suicide among 10-14 year olds has more than doubled in the past twenty years. "Although suicide among young children is a rare event, the dramatic increase in the rate among persons aged 10-14 years underscores the urgent need for intensifying efforts to prevent suicide among persons in this age group."

I encourage villagers to learn some tips for teens to prevent suicide. And we should keep the Walker-Hoover family in our prayers.