Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ared-4_23-cv-00068/USCOURTS-ared-4_23-cv-00068-1/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Estate of James Johnson
Defendant
Shirley Holloway
Defendant
Janette Johnson
Defendant
Kathleen Johnson
Defendant
Shirley Johnson
Defendant
Roberta Mespelt
Defendant
New York Life Insurance Company
Plaintiff

Document Text:

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS

NEW YORK LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY PLAINTIFF

v. Case No. 4:23-cv-68-JM

SHIRLEY JOHNSON AKA SHIRLEY HOLLOWAY;

KATHLEEN JOHNSON;

ROBERTA MESPELT;

JANETTE JOHNSON; and

THE ESTATE OF JAMES JOHNSON DEFENDANTS

JUDGMENT 

Based on the filed Joint Stipulation submitted by Kathleen Johnson, Roberta Mespelt, and 

Jeanette Johnson (hereinafter the “Johnson Sisters”), and Shirley Johnson a/k/a Shirley Holloway 

(hereinafter “Shirley”) through their respective counsel, the Court hereby orders the following: 

1. By virtue of her guilty plea to the Manslaughter charge connected to the death of

James Johnson, Shirley is barred from receiving the Policy Proceeds based on the terms of Policy 

itself and the Arkansas Slayer Law, codified as Ark. Code Ann. § 18-4-201 et. seq.

2. The three (3) daughters of James Johnson, namely Kathleen Johnson, Roberta

Mespelt, and Janette (Jeanette) Johnson, are the proper beneficiaries of the Policy Proceeds based 

on the Policy rules.

3. The Clerk of this Court shall issue payment in the amount of the Policy Proceeds

previously deposited into this Court’s registry, along with any additional interest accumulated 

thereon from the time of deposit to the Johnson Sisters, care of their counsel “The Applegate Firm, 

PLLC- Client Trust Account”, P.O. Box 13860, Maumelle, Arkansas, 72113.

IT IS SO ORDERED this 30th day of December, 2024. 

____________________________________

HONORABLE JAMES M. MOODY, JR. 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

Case 4:23-cv-00068-JM Document 24 Filed 12/30/24 Page 1 of 1