|
|
The maroon truck Billey Joe Johnson was driving the morning he died, now overgrown in his family’s yard. Photo credit: Imani Khayyam for Reveal
|
|
Hi Revealer,
In Mississippi and much of the country, police officer-involved death investigations tend to be shrouded in secrecy. It’s extremely difficult to access information about the grand jury, the medical examiner and the district attorney.
But that didn’t deter us.
We devoted more than three years looking into the case of Billey Joe Johnson, a Black teenager who died during an early-morning traffic stop by a White police officer in Mississippi. As we listened to police interview tape, reviewed crime scene photos, interviewed grieving but relentless family members and looked at what investigators did and didn’t do, we saw some glaring themes: indignity. Apathy. A lack of respect.
Along with the family of Billey Joe, we were committed to finding out: How did justice fail in this case?
We hope you will find some time to listen to our serialized podcast, Mississippi Goddam: The Ballad of Billey Joe, before the last episode airs Dec. 4.
We also hope you will consider making a donation to support this work. As a nonprofit, we rely on the generosity of our listeners, viewers and readers like you.
|
|
Through your support, our investigative reporting reaches millions of listeners and consistently contributes to real-world impact, from civil and criminal investigations to new laws and policies, better-informed conversations, and community-driven solutions.
Thank you,
Al Letson, Host and Reporter
Jonathan Jones, Reporter and Producer
|
|
|
|
