Brittany Willis

Black Caucus protests Johnson prosecution

ryanteaguebeckwith — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:10:14 -0400

The North Carolina Legislative Black Caucus is protesting the continued prosecution of James Johnson.

Johnson, 22, was jailed for three years for the 2004 murder of Brittany Willis, who was 17. He was freed in December pending a review of his case, and the murder, rape and kidnapping charges against him were later dropped because of a lack of evidence.

Johnson was then charged with accessory after the fact to murder, Titan Barksdale reports.

The Black Caucus demands in its resolution that "the last-minute (accessory) charge against Mr. Johnson be dismissed so he can get on with his life." The resolution was released by the NAACP today.

The accessory charge against Johnson is based on his statement that he wiped off his own fingerprints from Willis' SUV. After killing Willis, Kenneth Meeks, Johnson's former classmate, drove her SUV to Johnson's house to pick him up.

Johnson says that wiped off his fingerprints under duress because Meeks showed him the murder weapon and told him to help clean the SUV.

The Administrative Office of the Court hasn't published a date for Johnson's next court appearance.

Lawyer gives opinion in Johnson case

bniolet — Wed, 21 May 2008 09:31:09 -0400

James Johnson has an unlikely critic — his former defense attorney.

In comments published last week on NCWanted.com, Johnny Gaskins said Johnson's actions after the murder of Brittany Willis were illegal, Titan Barksdale reports. His comments were also broadcast on television in an interview by NCWanted, a show owned by Capitol Broadcasting.

Johnson, 22, was jailed for three years for the 2004 murder of Willis. Johnson was freed in December pending a review of his case, and the murder, rape and kidnapping charges against him were dropped because of a lack of evidence.

Prosecutors then charged Johnson with accessory after the fact based on his statement that he cleaned his own fingerprints from Willis' SUV. After killing Willis, Kenneth Meeks — Johnson's friend —drove her SUV to Johnson's house to pick him up.

Gaskins legal opinions about a former client's guilt or innocence, are unusual.

As part of his attorney-client privilege, Gaskins says he knows every detail in the case and believes Johnson would be wise to strike a plea deal, and avoid a trial on the charge of accessory after the fact to first-degree murder. "That's what I believe should happen, so everyone can stop," Gaskins said.

The comments have shocked Johnson's father, Arthur Johnson.

"I found it unethical," Johnson said. "It's an ongoing case."

Gaskins did not return telephone calls seeking comment.

Johnson is scheduled to make a court appearance in June in the accessory case.

Mukasey will look into Johnson case

ryanteaguebeckwith — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 17:18:52 -0500

Michael Mukasey said he will look into the James Johnson case.

The U.S. attorney general said he would respond to U.S. Rep. G.K. Butterfield's letter that asked for a federal investigation of whether Johnson's constitutional rights have been violated, Titan Barksdale reports.

Mukasey made the comment Thursday during a House Judiciary Committee hearing, a spokesman for Butterfield said.

In December, Butterfield sent the letter to Mukasey saying Johnson's right to a speedy trial has been denied, and he needs to intervene to "restore public confidence in the criminal justice system."

Johnson was jailed for three years for the murder of Brittany Willis. Johnson, 21, was freed in December pending a review of his case, and the murder, rape and kidnapping charges against him were dropped because of a lack of evidence. Johnson is now charged with accessory after the fact to murder.

The accessory charge against Johnson is based on his statement that he cleaned his own fingerprints from Willis' SUV. After killing Willis, his friend Kenneth Meeks drove her SUV to Johnson's house to pick him up.

Butterfield criticizes Wilson D.A.

ryanteaguebeckwith — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 17:21:45 -0500

U.S. Rep. G.K. Butterfield released a letter criticizing Wilson's District Attorney for its handling of James Johnson's criminal case.

"We don’t hold North Carolina citizens in jail without evidence," Butterfield said in the letter. "And we don’t mislead the families of victims who are suffering from the tragic loss of a loved one."

Willis, a 17-year-old Wilson girl, was abducted from a shopping center, raped and killed in 2004.

Another man, Kenneth Meeks, who was 16 at the time, acted alone in the crimes. He initially said Johnson was involved in the slaying before recanting.

A prosecutor outside of Wilson who reviewed Johnson's case charged him with accessory after the fact to murder. The accessory charge against Johnson is based on his statement that he cleaned his own fingerprints from Willis' SUV. After killing Willis, Meeks drove her SUV to Johnson's house to pick him up.

Butterfield, a former Superior Court judge, has also called for a federal investigation of whether Johnson's constitutional rights have been violated.