Grand jury: Miss. athlete's gunshot death accident
Criminal Law
A Mississippi grand jury has ruled that the shooting death of a star high school football player during a traffic stop was accidental.
The ruling Thursday tracks the conclusion of the initial investigation that Billey Joe Johnson had shot himself with a 12-gauge shotgun.
The 17-year-old's death has inflamed suspicion since Dec. 8. That's when the standout running back at George County High School was killed after a deputy stopped him for running a red light.
Johnson's family and the NAACP had rejected suicide as the cause of the death. They have said he had too much to live for including a shot at playing in the NFL.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.
LUCEDALE, Miss. (AP) — A Mississippi grand jury is expected to release its report on the shooting death of a star high school football player during a traffic stop.
An initial investigation concluded that Billey Joe Johnson had shot and killed himself with a 12-gauge shotgun.
The 17-year-old's death has inflamed suspicion since Dec. 8. That's when the standout running back at George County High School was killed after a deputy stopped him for running a red light.
Assistant District Attorney Brice Wiggins says the grand jury's report is expected at a hearing Thursday afternoon in George County Circuit Court in Lucedale.
Johnson's family and the NAACP have rejected suicide as the cause of the death. They say he had too much to live for including a shot at playing in the NFL.
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