Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Kentucky lawmaker kills himself days after being accused of molesting teen girl
ABC News ^ | 12/14/2017 | Tara Fowler

Posted on 12/14/2017 4:42:40 AM PST by simpson96

Kentucky state Rep. Dan Johnson took his own life on Wednesday afternoon after being publicly accused of molesting a teen girl, according to ABC affiliate WHAS in Louisville.

An expansive expose published Monday by the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting alleged that Johnson sexually abused the 17-year-old victim after a New Year's party in 2013.

Bullitt County coroner David Billings told ABC News Wednesday night that Johnson was found with a single gunshot wound to the head at Greenwell Ford Road in Mount Washington, Kentucky. His death is being treated as a “probable suicide.” A .40 caliber gun was recovered at the scene and is in the possession of law enforcement.

Kentucky Speaker Pro Tem David Osborne said in a statement, "It is with great sadness that we have received confirmed reports of the passing of Rep. Dan Johnson this evening. Please keep his family in your prayers during this incredibly difficult time."

The state's governor, Matt Bevin, confirmed Johnson's death, but not how he died, earlier in the evening in a tweet.

Johnson vehemently denied the allegations at a press conference Tuesday.

"This allegation concerning this lady, this young girl, absolutely has no merit, these are unfounded accusations, totally," he said, according to the Louisville Courier-Journal.

(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...


TOPICS: Politics/Elections; US: Kentucky
KEYWORDS: 1moretime; suicide
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-54 next last
Some "journalism" at ABC. I had to use Google to learn that Johnson was a Democrat.
1 posted on 12/14/2017 4:42:40 AM PST by simpson96
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: simpson96

I guess the guilt was too much.


2 posted on 12/14/2017 4:43:39 AM PST by AppyPappy (Don't mistake your dorm political discussions with the desires of the nation)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: simpson96

Wrong guy. This Dan Johnson is a Republican.


3 posted on 12/14/2017 4:45:43 AM PST by wbarmy (I chose to be a sheepdog once I saw what happens to the sheep.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: simpson96

Yep, if no party is called in a bad guy story, assume rat.


4 posted on 12/14/2017 4:46:05 AM PST by polymuser (Its terrible to contemplate how few politicians are hanged today. - Chesterton)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: simpson96

Hope the ‘journalist” is real damn pleased with himself


5 posted on 12/14/2017 4:46:09 AM PST by yldstrk (My heroes have always been cowboys)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: simpson96

“...a single gunshot wound to the head...”

Worst case of drowning we’ve ever seen.


6 posted on 12/14/2017 4:47:28 AM PST by Carriage Hill ( Life is simpler, when you plow around the stump.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: polymuser

‘Yep, if no party is called in a bad guy story, assume rat.”

That’s what I thought, however he was a pubbie, good riddance.


7 posted on 12/14/2017 4:49:31 AM PST by kenmcg (tHE WHOLE)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: simpson96

Not surprised.

This sex abuse/harassment stuff is getting out of hand.


8 posted on 12/14/2017 4:50:25 AM PST by Biggirl ("One Lord, one faith, one baptism" - Ephesians 4:5W)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: simpson96

He was a Republican, defeating the Democratic opponent in 2016, per Wikipedia.


9 posted on 12/14/2017 4:50:35 AM PST by Real Cynic No More
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: kenmcg

Do you know if he was guilty? The police did an investigation and didn’t charge him. He says he was innocent. If he was guilty, I don’t support suicide - he should have admitted it and faced the consequences. If he wasn’t, we have a case of false allegations leading to a suicide. That’s the danger of a guilt by press system.


10 posted on 12/14/2017 4:52:12 AM PST by Pinkbell
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: kenmcg
That’s what I thought, however he was a pubbie, good riddance.

If the allegation was true, then yes.

11 posted on 12/14/2017 4:53:03 AM PST by ScottinVA ( Liberals, go find another country.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: simpson96

Nah. All you need is the absence of the identifier “Democrat” in the story. If it had involved an “R”, said R-word would be liberally repeated throughout.


12 posted on 12/14/2017 4:54:03 AM PST by Wonder Warthog (The Hog of Steel and NRA Life Member)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: AppyPappy

Maybe or maybe he was not guilty and couldn’t handle he storm of being accused of a crime he didn’t commit. I don’t know. Suicide is never the answer, though. His wife and children are going through hell now.


13 posted on 12/14/2017 4:54:40 AM PST by Pinkbell
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: kenmcg
That’s what I thought, however he was a pubbie, good riddance.

I fear they're morphing into revenge accusations. I still have doubts about those accusations against Roy Moore, and some against Trump have been debunked.

14 posted on 12/14/2017 4:54:53 AM PST by ScottinVA ( Liberals, go find another country.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Wonder Warthog

This guy was Republican.


15 posted on 12/14/2017 4:55:09 AM PST by Pinkbell
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: simpson96

He was a Republican.


16 posted on 12/14/2017 4:58:05 AM PST by Flick Lives (The FBI is a corrupt partisan organization.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Pinkbell

He was Pastor of Heart of Fire City Church. The accusation is he was drunk, kissed and fondled her (with clothes on) five years ago.

Would seem hard to prosecute five years later. I’d bet he had other problems.


17 posted on 12/14/2017 5:04:39 AM PST by jjotto ("Ya could look it up!")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Pinkbell

“He says he was innocent...”

Who knows at this point, Pink. He could have thought more victims would have come out OR he could have thought this was career ending simply by the “stain” of the charge. Suicide seems a little extreme to me but I have the feeling maybe more was going on with him medically or psychologically. I guess time will tell but it is absolutely horrible for his family.


18 posted on 12/14/2017 5:04:51 AM PST by momtothree
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Pinkbell
If he wasn’t, we have a case of false allegations leading to a suicide. That’s the danger of a guilt by press system.

---

The guys suicide note was distressing to read. It really sounds like the guy was pushed over the edge by these allegations. We really have entered a new dark age, no different from the Salem Witch Trials. An allegation is all it takes to destroy someone. No trial. No evidence. No jury. No appeal. Mattress Girl Trial by Jilted.


19 posted on 12/14/2017 5:05:25 AM PST by Flick Lives (The FBI is a corrupt partisan organization.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Biggirl

“This sex abuse/harassment stuff is getting out of hand.”

Something similar occurred in Europe (especially Germany) in the 16th and 17th centuries. Wild accusations of witchcraft and heresy caused an estimated million people their lives, many killed by gruesome means (think burning at the stake). We are seeing the start of the same kind of panic here in America today, only the subject matter of the accusations has changed.


20 posted on 12/14/2017 5:08:34 AM PST by ought-six (Multiculturalism is national suicide, and political correctness is the cyanide capsule.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-54 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson