At a dramatic August 10 press conference, state officials announced 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 the braided leather belt used in the hanging didn't belong to Johnson, 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. The Johnson family flatly rejected the state' s findings, and plans to hire an independent pathologist and private investigator. The FBI's investigation also 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.