On August 10, in a dramatic press conference state officials announced that they were officially closing the Johnson investigation. District Attorney Buddy McDonald, accompanied by Mississippi Attorney General Mike Moore stated bluntly that the state sees no evidence of murder. We are told that the braided leather belt used in the hanging didn't belong to the teen but state officials unveiled a startling color video surveillance tape showing Raynard in a convenience store less than two hours before his death wearing what appears to be the same belt. Raynard Johnson's parents, Jerry and Maria have flatly rejected the state's findings and have vowed to continue their own privately financed probe of the case. The FBI's own investigation continues.
Many ghosts haunt Mississippi.
The death of such a promising young person may not be a crime, but it surely is a tragedy. Once, suicide among black youngsters was so rare it was nearly unheard of. Strong family and religious ties saved many a troubled soul. In Raynard Johnson's memory, adults need to work to re-create these precious safety nets for the sake of our children. Naturally, most parents recoil from the idea that their kid is capable of self destruction but it does happen.